Warriors: Blackened Sky
by MysteriousNotes
Summary: "The Last Hope" ended in triumph for the clans. But what would have happened if the Dark Forest cats had won? Follow Dovewing, Ivypool, Jayfeather, and Lionblaze as they try one final time to save everything they love from the darkness around them. Secrets will be let out. Promises will be broken. And blood will be spilled. Read and Review if you wish.
1. Prologue

**_Notice: _**_This story contains characters belonging to HarperCollins and Erin Hunter. I do not own any characters/plot points contained in the original Warriors books._

* * *

Dark Forest cats were flooding into the camp. Dovewing whipped around in horror, watching as her Clanmates were pummeled to the ground and slashed open by sharp claws. Yowls of pain split the air. Darkness had settled upon the clearing, and thunder was rumbling in the distance.

"Darkstripe!" Mousefur's hiss sounded from outside the elders' den. "I hoped I'd never see you again."

Dovewing turned in time to see the old she-cat lash out at the dark-pelted tom. She raced towards him, claws outstretched, a snarl crossing her bloodstained face.

Suddenly a crack sounded throughout the clearing. Dovewing froze as she looked for the source of the sound. A gasp of horror escaped her mouth as she saw Poppyfrost dangling from the jaws of a huge tom with icy blue eyes. A triumphant growl escaped his mouth as he tossed her body beside that of Hollyleaf's.

"Poppyfrost! No!" The yowl of Daisy echoed through the forest.

"The time has come, my warriors! Destroy them!" the huge tom with blue eyes caterwauled.

"It's not over yet, Hawkfrost!" a growl sounded as Brambleclaw shot towards the tom and tackled him.

Lionblaze suddenly shot through the throng of cats, leaping fearlessly into battle. Behind him were a group of cats who were… transparent. Dovewing's mouth dropped in shock as a Midnight rumbled through the clearing.

But something was horribly wrong. Thunder loomed closer, and dark clouds covered the stars. The transparent cats let out yowls of shock as they began to fade away.

"No! No! What is happening…" Rock called as he appeared from the forest, his eyes bulging more than usual in complete shock. Cries of anguish split the air as the spirits faded completely.

"What…" the shocked mew of Jayfeather sounded behind her. "Half Moon! Rock! No!"

"Dovewing!" Lionblaze wailed as he pushed through the battle to her. "Use your powers! Try to listen for StarClan! They should have come by now…"

Dovewing pricked her ears and leaned forward, straining her senses to the farthest corners of the forest, and then to the sky. There was utter silence.

"StarClan… it's gone…" Jayfeather moaned, listening in on Dovewing's thoughts. Her crumbled to the ground, shaking.

"Get on your paws, Jayfeather! This is no time to be lying about!" the hiss of Firestar sounded beside Dovewing. The ginger tom was speeding in to the thick of battle.

The yowls of Mousefur sounded beside Dovewing. She turned to see the elder dangling from the jaws of Darkstripe. Her eyes had dulled, and the life faded from her.

"Mousefur! No!" Dovewing cried, launching herself at Darkstripe. The tom mrrowed with laughter, batting at Dovewing with sharp claws. Pain pierced her side as he raked through her skin, blood spilling to the ground.

Dovewing lashed out with her forepaws, knocking the warrior to the ground. She leapt on him and clawed at his soft underbelly. But he was much stronger than she was. He kicked upwards with his back paws, causing Dovewing to crash into the rock behind her. Black spots swarmed her vision as she struggled for consciousness.

"You've got guts, she-cat. Pity you decided to stay with the clans. We could have made you great. Now you will be slaughtered... just like old Mousefur over here," Darkstripe chuckled, advancing towards her. A flash of a pale tabby pelt caught Dovewing's eye.

Ivypool began pushing Darkstripe back, but the warrior was matching her moves with precision. Dovewing stumbled to her paws, blood dripping into her eyes.

Another crack echoed through the clearing. Dovewing turned to see the limp form of Ferncloud tossed aside by a huge dark tom with bright yellow eyes. He cackled gleefully and turned towards the kits in the nest.

"No!" Dovewing meowed weakly as she stumbled towards him, pain throbbing through her skull. Strength pulsed through her body as she lurched at the tom, raking his sides, causing blood to drip freely down his sides.

"What a stupid little cat you are," the warrior growled, turning to her, "Thinking you can defeat me, Brokenstar! I-" He cut off, staring into her eyes, curiosity crossing his face. "Well, well. Dovewing."

"H-how do you know my name?" Dovewing asked, fear replacing the bravery in her heart. She was standing before Brokenstar, the most feared cat in clan history. And he knew who she was.

"I have eyes and ears, young one. I know what you are capable of. Tell me, can you hear StarClan now?" He chuckled, weaving around Dovewing menacingly. "You are your traitor of a sister are experts at spying. However, your power is most useful… while your sister is weak. She will be eliminated, but you will live as a prisoner of the new era of the clans." He lashed out with his paw, pinning her against the ground, applying pressure against her throat.

Dovewing gagged, trying to squeeze any air down her windpipe as possible. "I… will… never… help… you," she choked, black spots dancing across her vision.

Brokenstar chuckled. "You speak as if you have a choice."

The last think Dovewing saw was his menacing yellow gaze before her world faded to black.

* * *

Ivypool shook blood off her snowy pelt as she faced Darkstripe. They were evenly matched, their moves swift and brutal. As soon as Ivypool nicked his ear, his claws would rip across her cheek, and so forth.

Ivypool suddenly felt panic flutter in her chest. Where was her sister? She turned to see Brokenstar picking up a limp gray cat and padding into the nursery.

"DOVEWING!" she screeched, her fur standing on end. Darkstripe chuckled, blocking her way.

"She's good as dead," he growled, lashing his tail. Ivypool felt a surge of strength rush through her muscles as she launched herself at Darkstripe. He let out a grunt of surprise as she raked his underbelly and pierced her claws into his throat.

A yowl sounded from the entrance of the clearing. Ivypool became distracted just enough to allow Darkstripe to slip beneath her and retreat into the shadows.

A massive brown tabby stood, holding a bloodied ginger cat in his jaws. He tossed the body to the ground.

"ThunderClan! Behold your precious Firestar!" he yowled as lightning flashed across the sky.

A shot of grief caused Ivypool to fall to the ground. She could barely stand as she wobbled over to her leader. The fighting had ceased and a silence overtook the clearing. ThunderClan warriors stumbled toward their leader, eyes welled with grief.

Firestar's chest was barely rising and falling. Sandstorm pushed her way forward, crying out and buring her muzzle in his orange pelt. Blood matted his ginger pelt, yet his face was somehow calm, despite the blood welling from his throat. His green eyes were just beginning to cloud over. Leafpool and Squirrelflight pushed their way to their mother's side, pain crossing their faces.

The clan exchanged glances. Ivypool met the eyes of her mother, her father, Blossomfall, Brackenfur… They shifted tighter together, forming a close circle, blocking out the Dark Forest cats who were hissing behind them. Warriors leaned on eachother, entwining tails. No words were needed. ThunderClan was united for this moment, united in fear, in sadness, in love for one another. They would give their leader his last moments of peace. The leader who had lead them through unfathomable journeys and trials. He deserved to die in a moment of stillness, a moment of nonviolence.

"Do not… give up… stay… strong," Firestar whispered, his breaths coming out even more ragged. "Destiny… will… prevail." Looking up into Sandstorm's eyes, a peaceful look overtook the leader's face as he breathed his last. With a light sigh, he was gone.

Ivypool lifted her head, staring at the sky. Rain began to pour from the sky. Lightning flashed, and suddenly an ember caught up in flames, shooting upwards towards the sky. The rain quickly clenched the fire, and the clearing remained for another moment in still silence.

"Firestar, Firestar!" Squirrelflight had begun to chant. ThunderClan joined in, raising their voices to the heavens.

"ENOUGH!" a gruff voice shouted, cutting them off. Tigerstar pushed through the throng of cats, laughter echoing through his chest. He roughly took Sandstorm by the scruff, tossing her off of her mate's body. She hissed, unsheathing her claws, grief clouding her gaze.

"The battle is won. Already my warriors have overtaken the other clans. The new era of the forest has begun! Only the strong may live now!" his voice rose as he kicked the body of Firestar roughly, causing ThunderClan cats to hiss and Dark Forest warriors to yowl in agreement.

Brokenstar, Darkstripe, Mapleshade, and Hawkfrost padded up to stand beside Tigerstar. Brokenstar pushed Tigerstar slightly to the side. "Do not forget, Tigerstar, you are not above the rest of us. We shall rule the new legions equally," he growled, narrowing his yellow eyes. Tigerstar dipped his head, though a flash of anger crossed his amber gaze.

"Let's pick off the weak… now!" Brokenstar growled. Suddenly a cat hauled Ivypool away from the crowd. She whipped around to face Brambleclaw.

"Ivypool, we have to leave. The others have a chance, but we will be the first to die," he hissed. "Follow me."

Ivypool blinked back shock and shot through the forest after Brambleclaw.

"Where are we going?" she murmured, her paws thrumming in rhythm with her deputy's.

"Far, far away, until we can find a way to stop this madness," he wheezed. "Birchfall, Blossomfall, and Mousewhisker are meeting us at the Moonpool. We will go from there."

"Surely we'll get caught! And what about our clanmates?" she mewed, her voice shaking.

"The Dark Forest warriors are preoccupied at the camps. And our clanmates have a better chance of survival than any of us do. You, Birchfall, Mousewhisker, and Blossomfall all betrayed them, and I am the deputy. We would be the first to go if we stayed."

Ivypool skidded to a halt, surprising her clan deputy and causing him to look at her curiously. Anger shot through her chest, and she pierced her claws into the forest floor. "You're the deputy! How could you abandon your clan? What about Squirrelflight? And it's as if you don't feel any grief for Fire-"

"Don't ever tell me I don't feel grief for Firestar! He was my mentor, my closest friend, the father I always wanted…" He growled, lurching forward so he was nose to nose with Ivypool. She noticed the dull grief clouding his gaze. "Of course I fear for ThunderClan, even Squirrelflight. But what help would I be dead? We need to leave to search for answers. We must plan an uprising. And we can't do that in ThunderClan right now. Come on. We need to hurry." He turned and shot off again.

After running for a bit longer, Brambleclaw slowed his steps. Ivypool followed him into a cleared area. In the center was a large, dark hole.

"The Moonpool!" Brambleclaw gasped. "It's dried out!"

"But it's raining!" Ivypool protested, shaking out her blood and rain drenched pelt.

"The Moonpool wasn't full of rainwater. Something terrible has happened to StarClan," he murmured.

Ivypool heard cats approaching and raised her hackles, baring her teeth in case any Dark Forest warriors should appear. Instead, Mousewhisker, Blossomfall, and her father slipped beside them.

"The Moonpool…" Birchfall said in shock, walking up beside Ivypool and brushing his soaked pelt against hers. "StarClan won't be able to help us now."

"Then we must help ourselves," Brambleclaw declared, straightening up. "Let's go." He turned and slipped into the forest.

With one last glance towards ThunderClan territory, Ivypool shuddered and followed his lead. "I'll be back for you, Dovewing," she promised herself as she sped off into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 1

"Let's pick off the weak… now!"

Jayfeather recoiled in horror. This was never supposed to happen… it shouldn't have ended this way…

He felt the pelt of another cat brush against him, but he stiffened. The cat was not one of his clanmates. A darkness pulsed from the stranger, and it let out a hiss of delight.

"This one is blind, Brokenstar. We should start with him. May I have the honor?" the scratchy voice of a she-cat sounded beside him. Jayfeather unsheathed his claws, feeling annoyed that once again his blindness had classified him as "weak".

"No, Mapleshade. That cat shall not be harmed. Thistleclaw, Snowtuft, Darkstripe, lead Jayfeather and Lionblaze into the nursery and guard them. They shall not be harmed, and they shall not escape. Or you three will be the next to die," Brokenstar hissed.

Jayfeather instantly froze. Why did Brokenstar want to keep him and his brother alive? He must have known about the prophecy…

Jayfeather was shoved towards the nursery, steered like a lost kit. "I may be blind, but I know my way around my own camp better than you, I should think," he snarled, his pelt prickling with annoyance. The warrior who had shoved him muttered something under his breath, but did not touch him again.

He felt the familiar presence of Lionblaze beside him. "What in StarClan's name is going on?" he muttered, brushing up beside Jayfeather.

"How should I know?" he snapped as they entered the nursery. Immediately Jayfeather became alarmed, feeling another cat beside him.

"Dovewing!" Lionblaze wailed, nudging the limp she-cat.

"She's alive, just unconscious," Jayfeather murmured, sniffing her gently. If only he had his supplies… he needed cobweb badly to stop both Dovewing and Lionblaze from losing any more blood.

The three Dark Forest cats settled outside, watching as Brokenstar continued to speak.

"Things are going to change," Brokenstar was meowing. Jayfeather could feel his piercing gaze land upon the nursery, and he couldn't stop a shudder from running through him.

"The kits will be nursed by Mapleshade and will begin training immediately. There is no need to wait for apprenticeship. Cats must learn how to kill as soon as their eyes open," he went on gleefully. Jayfeather heard the wail of Daisy interrupt Brokenstar's speech.

"Ah, yes. I had forgotten how soft-hearted ThunderClan was… bringing in fat kittypets who have never learned a battle move in their lives. Bring her forward," he mewed, and Jayfeather heard the shuffle of cats and mews of protest and anguish from ThunderClan cats.

"This is what shall happen if any of you try to run or disobey me," Brokenstar hissed. He heard cries of anguish from Daisy, and the slicing of claws upon skin. A low gurgle sounded out, and silence fell upon the clearing.

"DAISY!" Lionblaze screeched in horror.

"Quiet, you! You may be getting special treatment, but that doesn't mean you can interrupt Brokenstar," Darkstripe hissed.

"'Special treatment'?" Jayfeather grumbled in annoyance, "I'd rather die than be a prisoner in my own camp, having to deal with the horrible stench of you three mange-pelts." His icy gaze pierced into the Dark Forest guards, and he noticed with satisfaction that Snowtuft shuddered slightly.

Darkstripe growled, getting to his paws and facing Jayfeather. "Darkstripe, stop," Thistleclaw hissed, "Remember what Brokenstar said. You're not as important as you think you are, you know. I'm sure Brokenstar would feel just fine about eliminating you."

"I'm much more important than you are, mouse-brain!" Darkstripe snarled, and Jayfeather could feel the tension rising. He smiled slightly, glad to cause a bit of trouble between the supposed "Clanmates".

"Enough." A calm voice had said, and Jayfeather could feel the three guards stiffen in fear. He sniffed the air, wondering who the newcomer was.

"Tigerstar," Lionblaze growled. Jayfeather suddenly shifted in front of the limp Dovewing, feeling slightly protective, especially with such a violent cat standing before them.

"No need to do that, Jayfeather," Tigerstar mused, "I wouldn't hurt her. I wouldn't hurt any of you. You're far too valuable."

"What value are we to you?" Jayfeather hissed, tensing automatically.

"Don't be a fool. I know as well as you do what you're capable of. You're of great use to the clan." Jayfeather felt the tabby sit down, his amber gaze narrowing in on him.

Suddenly a scuffle of paws alarmed Jayfeather. A new cat had entered the camp. He could hear the newcomer approach the highrock where Brokenstar had settled, and heard faint murmuring.

"The other clans have been defeated," Brokenstar meowed, amusement creeping into his voice.

Gasps of horror sounded throughout the camp. "No…" Lionblaze muttered beside him. Jayfeather hung his head, a shiver running down his spine. What was to come now? They had failed the clans. They hadn't fulfilled the prophecy.

"The new era has begun!" Mapleshade screeched, cackling. Thunder crashed overhead, and a wave of horror crashed over Jayfeather. Imminent death seemed to loom in the distance. This was the end,

"There is no good and evil anymore," Brokenstar was meowing, "Only… FallenClan!"

"FallenClan! FallenClan!" the Dark Forest warriors screeched, rearing up in agreement.

"No more boundaries. We are united. However… there is punishment for those who did not join my legions," Brokenstar continued in an icy tone, "You will do as any Dark Forest warrior tells you. If they want your prey, you shall give it to them. If they want you to fetch them moss, you will not oppose them. If they should harm you, you will not fight back unless they ask it of you."

"StarClan help us!" Sorreltail moaned. Other cats wailed out in anger and grief.

"Silence!" Brokenstar snarled, "There is one last rule. StarClan no longer exists. If any of you speak of it… the punishment will be harsh. Do not contest my laws. Now I shall leave you. Bury your dead. Heal your wounds. I will return soon."

"Are you so softhearted to let them bury their clanmates, Brokenstar?" Tigerstar challenged. "We should leave the carcasses to rot like crowfood in the sun. We should leave their wounds to bleed. They deserve no mercy from us."

"No. Do not challenge me, Tigerstar," Brokenstar snarled, "We are not savages. Tigerstar, go to ShadowClan and tell them what I have said. Hawkfrost, to RiverClan. I shall go to WindClan. We shall all meet on the Gathering island tomorrow night. Take some warriors with you." Jayfeather listened as the group split up, leaving some Dark Forest cats, including Mapleshade, in the ThunderClan camp to assure that no cat would leave.

Conversations erupted across the clearing. "Firestar…" Sandstorm moaned, and Jayfeather could hear her moving to bury her muzzle in her mate's ginger pelt. Other clan members moved to Poppyfrost, Daisy, Hollyleaf, and Ferncloud. Jayfeather stood, sniffing the air and turning in the direction of his deceased sister with a heavy heart.

"Where do you think you're going?" Thistleclaw snarled, tensing in front of Jayfeather. "You can't leave this area."

"Oh, my apologies," he meowed dryly, "I assumed I had the same right as every other cat in this clearing. I'm going to mourn my sister. Go ahead and try to stop me." He pushed past the three guards, feeling Lionblaze linger back.

"I'll stay here until Dovewing wakes up," his brother murmured.

"You'll all stay there whether you like it or not!" Darkstripe snapped. Jayfeather felt jaws close around his scruff as he was hauled into the air and thrown backwards against the nursery wall.

"You fool! Brokenstar is going to kill us…" Snowtuft snarled.

"What Brokenstar does not know won't kill him," a soft purr sounded from just outside the nursery. Jayfeather tensed when he recognized the voice of Mapleshade. "I could do this, for example, and I could blame it on a battle wound." Jayfeather snarled as he heard claws slice down Dovewing's pelt.

"Don't touch her!" Lionblaze yowled, launching himself at Mapleshade. The two cats rolled on the ground, screeching and causing blood to fly onto the dirt ground. Jayfeather heard grunts of effort and realized it took Darkstripe, Snowtuft, and Thistleclaw's combined efforts to haul Lionblaze off the Dark Forest she-cat.

"Don't start battles you know you can't finish, Lionblaze," Mapleshade purred, breathing heavily despite her effort to keep her composure.

"And don't depend on your friends to save your pelt for you. Because one day, I shall rip your throat out and watch you bleed to your death. I can promise you that," Lionblaze growled.

"Spoken like a true Dark Forest warrior," Mapleshade mused. Jayfeather felt Mapleshade wind herself around his brother, pressed very closely to him. "I'm going to make you the best killer the clans have ever seen, Lionblaze, and trust me, I can be very persuasive," Mapleshade purred, pressing her muzzle to his. Lionblaze recoiled in disgust. Jayfeather felt the curious eyes of the three guards lingering on Lionblaze, as if they somehow feared him.

"Don't let her get to you," Jayfeather whispered as Mapleshade slunk away. He pricked his ears, listening to the still silence of the camp as the ThunderClan warriors were sharing tongues with the fallen a final time.

Suddenly, Dovewing stirred beside him. Jayfeather nosed her gently. "It's okay, Dovewing. It's me and Lionblaze."

"Ow," Dovewing murmured, no doubt pertaining to the deep wound on her side. "What happened?"

"The Dark Forest cats have won," Lionblaze growled. As if in answer, thunder rumbled overhead, rain once again beginning to splash down upon the clearing.

"I'm going to share tongues with Hollyleaf," Jayfeather growled. Lionblaze fell in behind him, and Dovewing beside him. They pushed past the guards, who let them pass without a word, yet Jayfeather could feel their gazes burning into his pelt.

Jayfeather found the stiff body of his sister, where Leafpool, Cinderheart, Sorreltail, and Brackenfur had gathered and were lying beside her. Jayfeather settled beside his mother, burying his nose deep into Hollyleaf's ebony pelt. Lionblaze and Dovewing laid next to him.

_StarClan, I know you're somewhere up there, _Jayfeather thought, closing his eyes, _Welcome her among your midst. She's made mistakes, but she deserves to be with you. She died to protect Ivypool, to protect ThunderClan. She's a loyal, loving warrior, through and through._

Jayfeather hadn't realized he had dozed off until Leafpool gently nudged him. "It's time to bury her," she murmured. Jayfeather stood as Brackenfur and Lionblaze picked up the body of Hollyleaf. A crevice had been dug already, and gently she was placed into the earth. Sorrow pierced Jayfeather's heart, sharper than claws.

"Goodbye, Hollyleaf," he whispered, looking to the sky where he could feel the sun just beginning to rise beyond the horizon.

* * *

**So hello to anyone out there who is reading ^^ especially Koraki, thank you for your comment! That absolutely made my day.**

**I have a few questions:**

**1. Do you think Ivypool should have a romance of a sort with Mousewhisker? Or with a mysterious cat that she meets on her adventure with Brambleclaw, Blossomfall, Mousewhisker, and Birchfall?**

**2. Tigerheart or Bumblestripe?**

**Thank you! And just a note, I am going to make future chapters much longer! I wrapped this one up pretty quickly XD.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Lionblaze winced as Jayfeather applied the marigold leaves to his wounds.

"Hold still. You're squirming like a kit," Jayfeather mused, but there was a dark undertone in his meow. Lionblaze glanced around as the ThunderClan warriors shuffled around the clearing, their heads hung in defeat. Sandstorm had not moved from beside her mate's grave just outside the camp. Her eyes were empty.

"What have we done, Jayfeather?" Lionblaze whispered, pangs of sorrow hitting him like waves upon the shore.

"Don't dwell on it. What good are we moping around like useless lumps? It's just making the Dark Forest warriors happier," Jayfeather snapped. Lionblaze noticed that the majority of the clearing was dominated by the cheerful Dark Forest cats, who were smirking on the side lines. His fur spiked in agitation. He would gladly rip all of their throats out, but even he wasn't strong enough to defeat so many at once.

Jayfeather had gotten around to tending to most of the wounded ThunderClan warriors. Mapleshade had demanded that he also help the injured Dark Forest warriors, much to Jayfeather's anger. Lionblaze had watched amusedly as Jayfeather applied the most painful healing poultices on purpose and had "accidentally" given Darkstripe yarrow to eat, causing the warrior to retch out everything in his stomach.

"It's too bad you can't heal broken hearts, brother," Lionblaze murmured suddenly, staring intently at his large paws. Dustpelt had been frozen in the same spot since Ferncloud's burial. The warrior hadn't even bothered to use his well-known sharp tongue to lash out at any of the Dark Forest cats.

Sudden loud hissing caused Lionblaze to lift his head. Sorreltail and Brightheart were nose-to-nose with Mapleshade, their pelts fluffed up in anger.

"Those are my kits. Don't you _dare _come near them," Brightheart snarled, her tail curled around Dewkit, Amberkit, and Snowkit.

Mapleshade flicked her ginger tail, and four huge Dark Forest toms stalked up behind here. "This is not a choice," she hissed in delight, her eyes sparkling, "The kits belong to me now."

Lionblaze growled, taking a step towards Mapleshade, but was suddenly thrust to the ground by Darkstripe and Thistleclaw. "Don't even think about getting involved," Thistleclaw snarled.

Lionblaze watched in horror as the she cats were dragged backwards by the four toms and thrown into the elder's den. Despite their vicious efforts to get around them, the she-cats were no match.

"Mommy!" Seedkit squealed, racing towards her.

"She's not your mommy," Mapleshade purred, stepping in front of her, "I am. She's an evil, evil cat… she took you from me! All of you! I am your real mother."

Dewkit, Amberkit, and Snowkit stared at her in awe. But Seedkit and Lilykit were harder to push.

"No way!" Lilykit protested.

"Come along," Mapleshade mewed gently, steering the kits towards the nursery, "I bet you're hungry, aren't you?"

"Well…" Seedkit muttered, shuffling her tiny paws.

"Don't go anywhere with her!" Sorreltail yowled, batting fiercely at the cats placed in front of her. Growls erupted around the clearing as a huge tom slammed Sorreltail against the stone wall behind her. She slipped to the ground, unconscious.

The kits bounced alongside Mapleshade and vanished into the nursery. Brightheart moaned in pain, shivers running through her body.

"It's nearly nightfall," Darkstripe growled, releasing Lionblaze and padding to the center of the clearing. "Brokenstar said we're supposed to make sure every cat is accounted for, then head over to the island."

Thistleclaw shuffled over to the highledge and leapt on it, his eyes glittering as he surveyed the disheveled group of cats before him. "If any of your warriors who survived are missing, speak now," he meowed darkly, "If you don't we will find out who's gone eventually, and there will be a severe punishment."

"Where's Brambleclaw?" Toadstep murmured to Graystripe.

"What was that? You, speak up!" Thistleclaw snarled, narrowing in on the black and white tom.

"I-um… I think Brambleclaw is missing…" he meowed, regret in his tone.

"Ah, so your own deputy abandoned you. Pitiful," Thistleclaw sneered, pacing menacingly on the highledge. "Who else?"

"I know who else, Thistleclaw," Darkstripe sneered, "That weak excuse for a cat, Ivypool. The traitor."

Thistleclaw's eyes lit up. "What I wouldn't give to sink my claws into her throat. No matter. She'll return, just as your precious deputy, and when they do, their deaths will be very painful."

"No! You won't lay a claw on my sister!" a high-pitched wail sounded from the stunned silence. Dovewing's fur had fluffed up in anger, and she had risen to her paws.

Thistleclaw _mrrowed _in laughter. "Sit down. You're hardly more than a kit. In fact… I think I'll make sure you get a front row seat when Ivypool returns for her execution. How does that sound?"

Dovewing suddenly launched herself across the clearing, straight onto the highledge. She caught Thistleclaw by surprise and slammed him against the rock, her paws a blur as she ripped open the Dark Forest warrior's skin.

"You little…" Thistleclaw snarled, pinning Dovewing under his great weight. "Oh, how I wish Brokenstar would let me kill you…"

"Get off of her!" Lionblaze snarled, anger rising beneath his chest.

"Enough," an ice-cold voice called. Lionblaze's fur rose along his spine and he jumped to his paws. The newcomer had brown tabby fur, a huge, muscular figure, and the most piercing blue eyes he had ever seen. Hawkfrost.

"Can you really not handle a tiny she-cat, Thistleclaw? And I thought you were one of our best fighters," Hawkfrost taunted. Lionblaze arched his back slightly as Hawkfrost's cold gaze narrowed in on Dovewing, who was still laying beneath Thistleclaw's paws. "I think I'll give you the job of guarding sweet little Dovewing here. I sure hope you can handle that."

Thistleclaw snarled in annoyance, but released Dovewing. "I won't let her out of my sight, Hawkfrost," he murmured, clearly bothered by his new position.

Lionblaze noticed Whitewing bristling a few feet away, her claws sunk into the ground. No doubt watching her own kit go through something like this was painful. Lionblaze snuck a glance at his own mother, Leafpool, and saw she was staring with hatred at Hawkfrost without so much as a glance towards him. Was Leafpool also worrying about her remaining kits? Her eyes were dark with grief, and she glanced towards the direction of Hollyleaf's final resting place painfully.

"ThunderClan," Hawkfrost meowed calmly, moving to the front of the highledge, "The time has come for the greatest Gathering the clans have ever seen- with no rude interruptions regarding 'the will of StarClan'. Come." He turned his massive body and slipped into the forest.

Lionblaze was roughly shouldered forward by a gray tabby she-cat. He let out a hiss of annoyance but did nothing, falling in beside his brother as ThunderClan moved solemnly towards the island.

He pricked his ears towards Mapleshade. She was moving to follow them, leaving the nursery. "You two stay here and guard the she-cats. The kits should not wake- I fed them poppy seeds."

Jayfeather's pelt prickled beside Lionblaze's shoulder. "Poppy seeds should only be used for healing purposes! Too many of those could kill a tiny kit," he snarled loudly. No cat responded to him, only shot worried glances towards the nursery as they left their camp.

* * *

The trek through the forest, normally so filled with happiness and excitement, was solemn and gloomy. The trees around Lionblaze, normally so familiar to him, seemed unwelcoming and cold. The Dark Forest warriors had formed a tight circle around the warriors, their glittering eyes narrowing in excitement, claws unsheathed to slash anyone who should step out of line.

When they had reached the island, they were met with silence. The other three camps had arrived and were hunched amongst their own groups, mouths shut tightly. A tight snarl rang out above the silence, and Lionblaze noticed Mothwing, the RiverClan medicine cat, staring at Hawkfrost in disgust.

"They're littermates," Lionblaze heard Squirrelflight whispering to Berrynose, who had opened his mouth, no doubt to ask what the snarl was about. Lionblaze hoped that Berrynose could keep his mouth shut for the length of the gathering. The tom was known for loudly broadcasting his opinions without filtering any of his words, and in this case, it could get him killed.

"Carelessly late as usual, ThunderClan," a sneer rang from the tree. Brokenstar's eyes were narrowed towards the clan, and Lionblaze felt a chill run down his spine. There was something bone-chilling about the previous ShadowClan leader. Even Lionblaze knew better than to take him on, at least for now.

Hawkfrost moved to sit on a branch below Brokenstar. Tigerstar sat above him. Mapleshade breezed to the front of the clearing, settling below the tree, her wild eyes looking gleefully around at the clans.

Stony silence gripped the felines. Figures sat hunched over, staring vacantly at the ground. Lionblaze noticed that the clans seemed smaller than usual. The casualties were high for every clan, and would most likely only get higher.

"Welcome, friends," Tigerstar spoke, standing up, his muscles tensed as he gripped the bark of the tree. "The new order has come into place. And with it, a new code. And new clans."

"What!" a yowl rose up, followed by caterwauls of anger and shock. Cats jumped to their paws, fur spiked in anger.

"SILENCE!" roared Hawkfrost, drawing his lips back in a terrifying snarl. Dark forest warriors stood from their spots around the clans, hackles raised, ready to attack.

The wails gradually faded to murmurs, and then silence once again fell upon the cats. Pelts remained ruffled, eyes remained wide with unsatisfaction.

"First," Tigerstar continued lowly, amber eyes flicking to each clan, "We name the casualties of each clan. I will begin. ShadowClan has lost Shredtail, Redwillow, Owlclaw, and Branchkit."

Wails of agony rose from the clan. "Owlclaw! Branchkit!" cats cried, most especially Kinkfur, the mother of the kit. No one spoke Shredtail and Redwillow's names, for they had died as traitors to their clan.

Hawkfrost cleared his throat to speak. "RiverClan has lost Graymist, Pouncetail, and Mossypaw." Low moans escaped the RiverClanners mouths, the dull grief plainly visible in their eyes.

Brokenstar blinked in satisfaction, then stood to speak. "WindClan has lost Ashfoot, their deputy, as well as Whitetail, Antpelt, Emberfoot, Sedgewhisker, and Webfoot."

Lionblaze's golden pelt spiked at the news, more so than upon hearing of the other clan's casualties. "WindClan has lost so many," he murmured, looking sympathetically towards the wiry felines, who were crying out in anguish.

"Silence," hissed Mapleshade, who had risen from her spot below the tree. "ThunderClan has lost Mousefur, Ferncloud, Hollyleaf, and… Firestar. Cats unaccounted for are Brambleclaw, Ivypool, Birchfall, Mousewhisker, and Blossomfall."

Shocked cries rose from every clan. "Firestar is dead!" cried a RiverClan warrior. "Brambleclaw abandoned them…" whispered a ShadowClan warrior. For the first time in many moons, cats from all clans looked sympathetically towards ThunderClan. They had received the heaviest casualties of any clan.

Lionblaze's heart sank. Nine of their most powerful warriors were gone, and their rock, their savior, Firestar, was gone. A low sob escaped his chest, as if the weight had doubled on his shoulders. The news was finally hitting him, spoken so casually from the mouth of Mapleshade, yet carrying more sorrow than anything he had ever heard before.

"Quiet, you fools. Would you like to be added to the list of casualties?" Tigerstar snapped. The cats fell still, many lowering their heads in a sign of defeat. Lionblaze was among them, staring at the ground as he listened to the news that would surely mean the damnation of the clans.

"A long list, indeed," mused Brokenstar. "Many of you, with the exception of ThunderClan, may be wondering where your pathetic leaders are. Bring them forward."

Three hunched figures were marched in front of the tree. The huge form of Blackstar looked small and defeated. The well-fed figure of Mistystar looked battered and thinner than a WindClan cat. Onestar was scrabbling forward, mewling slightly, his eyes shut and laced with thick blood. Horror rose in his chest as he realized they had clawed the leader's eyes until he went blind.

"You're leaders have been stripped of their lives until one remains. A reminder that none of you are above us in any way possible. They are even more worthless than their warriors now," Brokenstar cackled. Just then, the sky opened up and rain began to pour upon the cats, soaking them to the bone.

"There is one clan now. FallenClan," he continued despite the interruption, his eyes narrowing. "We shall be divided into four sections, each occupying a separate section of the forest, the old clan camps. You shall be split and put into sections with cats from each clans. No longer will you have the comfort of being with your clanmates."

A stunned silence fell upon the clearing once again. No clanmates? Separated from their friends, their family…

"The code has changed as well. As previously announced, the cats will do as any dark forest warrior tells them. There is to be no opposition, or consequences with ensue. Killing is allowed and preferred. There will also be public demonstrations to assure loyalty to FallenClan."

Lionblaze blinked. "Does he mean… executions?" he whispered to Jayfeather. His brother had frozen and did not respond, only stared blankly in the direction of Brokenstar's voice.

"I will lead the First Division of FallenClan, which will reside within the old ShadowClan camp. Mapleshade will lead the Second Division, which will reside in the WindClan camp. Hawkfrost is to lead the Third Division, which is to be kept within the old RiverClan camp. And Tigerstar will be leading the Fourth Division, housed in the old ThunderClan camp."

"Do you think we'll automatically conform to your rules, Brokenstar? The clans will never follow you!" Lionblaze couldn't stop himself from crying out. All eyes looked towards him. He saw glimmers of hope in the clan cat's eyes, and he knew they agreed with him, but fear had seized their hearts. They had to see that this wasn't over… all hope was not lost.

"Oh, Lionblaze," Brokenstar mewed, looking amusedly towards him, "Always so quick to speak, so quick to act. Will you allow one of your friends to die for your sake?" His yellow eyes were flashing towards Cinderheart, who had eyes for none but Lionblaze, filled with hope and love…

Lionblaze would not let Brokenstar lay a claw on Cinderheart, no matter the cost. But he knew better than to speak again at this moment. He looked away, falling silent once more.

"Very well, then," Brokenstar continued, "It's time for the separation."

Lionblaze looked to the cloud-filled sky and anguish as rain fell upon his pelt. _StarClan… we need you more than ever… _he thought uselessly. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and Lionblaze dug his claws into the ground, making a silent promise to save the clans… and actually succeed this time.

* * *

**Sorry this took me so long!**

**I have been so preoccupied by school, etc...**

**Anyways, next chapter will be from Ivypool's POV! A little change of scenery.**

**I'll start to take your opinions of my last questions into account as well and really figure out how this story is going to work.**

**So, what will happen next? Who exactly will be in these new "Divisions"? And how will the cats cope with their new camps, new "clanmates", and new leaders?**

**Who will die next?**

**Stay tuned!**

**P.S. sorry this seems so briskly written, I was having trouble figuring out how to word the new rules, new divisions, etc., and it came out a little rushed! the next chapters will be more carefully written.**

**P.P.S. Sorry if one of your favorite cats died, I tried to pick less important ones, and I had to add at least one important cat (the RC deputy). As for the leaders, don't worry, none of them will die, and I have a surprise for them at the end of the story that I think will satisfy you. ;D**

**Bye for now,**

**~Mary.**


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Are we almost there?" Ivypool heard Blossomfall meow loudly for the third time.

"Blossomfall, maybe if you stop complaining, time will pass more quickly!" Ivypool couldn't stop herself from snapping at the she-cat. The journey had surely gotten to her; despite the strength she had built up training in the Dark Forest, her paws felt heavy, and her head felt clouded and tired.

Blossomfall let out a "hmph" and fell quiet. Ivypool was shoulder-to-shoulder with her father, who was looking even more weary than the rest of the group, no doubt because of him being the oldest. She leaned against him, taking some of the weight off his paws. He looked gratefully at her, his breaths coming in quickly.

The scenery ahead of them was dark and open, a field cluttered with little trees in random spots. No life seemed to stir around them, just the faint chirping of crickets, the slightest breeze in the night air. Ivypool spared a glance at the sky and saw clouds blocking the stars and the moon. She couldn't help but wonder if StarClan was still up there. _If they are, I hope they're protecting my sister, _she thought miserably.

"There, up ahead," murmured Brambleclaw, stopping suddenly. They had reached the top of a hill. Ivypool peered down and saw a tiny twoleg village, with a few stone cottages cluttered about. Light was reflecting out of the twoleg burrows. Ivypool let out a hiss.

"Are you crazy? I'm not staying with twolegs!" Mousewhisker growled, his ears flicking back.

"We're not staying with the twolegs," Brambleclaw mewed sternly, turning to stare at them, "There's an abandoned barn just outside of the twoleg territory that Purdy told me about once. He stayed there for a time and said that it was crawling with mice. We can make that out temporary home while we figure out what to do."

"I'm not staying in a barn! Barn cats just lay about all day, not once moving their rears unless to catch one of the million mice that are staying there! They are heavy and lazy and there's not much going on in their heads…" Birchfall trailed off grumpily.

"That won't happen, Birchfall. We're going to be training during our stay here. Ivypool is going to teach us some moves," Brambleclaw assured, turning to face Ivypool expectantly.

Ivypool blinked, surprised as everyone turned their attention to her. "Uh… sure. I guess teaching you guys the Dark Forest warriors moves is the best way to defeat them…"

"And we will defeat them," Brambleclaw murmured, digging his claws into the ground, "When the time comes."

Without another word, the group trekked forward. Time seemed to pass slowly as the village grew nearer. The passed beside the twolegs with trepidation, nervousness seeming to be the main emotion emitting from the felines.

"Here," Brambleclaw spoke suddenly. A large wooden structure loomed before them, creaky and old-looking.

"I smell mice," Ivypool breathed, suddenly realizing how hungry she was. She rushed into the barn, feeling comfortable hay beneath her paws as she entered. Automatically she tracked the scent of a large mouse. Even in the dark, it was no trouble for her to swiftly kill the mouse. She looked around and noticed her clanmates had begun to do the same. They settled in the center of the barn, their pelts brushing against one another as they ate in silence.

"So… this isn't so bad," murmured Mousewhisker, lifting his head to look around. Ivypool did the same. In the darkness she could make out an upper level on the barn, and various holes in the walls. All the same, it was somehow comfortable. Even now she could feel the lull of sleep calling to her.

"I smell other cats," Birchfall said suddenly, lifting his head. Ivypool pricked her ears in alert.

"It's stale. Purdy said other cats pass through time to time to catch a couple mice, but none of them stick around," the deputy promised confidently, opening his jaws in a yawn. "Anyways, we need to start figuring out what we're going to do. For starters, we need to start learning the new moves tomorrow. If only we had some way to communicate with the clans…"

"Ivypool has had the most experience with dreams," Birchfall murmured suddenly, "She could try to contact Jayfeather while we sleep."

Ivypool flicked her ears, thinking it over. "That might work, actually…" she murmured. Suddenly she felt even more pressure on her. The kind of pressure she had felt when she had been spying on the Dark Forest…

"Ivypool, only do it if you can. I don't want to put too much strain on you," Brambleclaw murmured, resting his tail-tip on her shoulder.

"I-I'll try," she mewed quietly, sinking to the ground with a yawn. Sleep was causing a fuzziness in her mind, and she was ready to succumb to it.

_Jayfeather… speak to me…_she thought as the blackness took over her mind.

* * *

Ivypool was walking. She breathed in the air around her, the familiar smell of the ThunderClan camp, the cover of trees and the sound of birds chirping overhead.

She closed her eyes and let out a purr. She began running, her paws feeling light, her spirit free, the burdens lifted for a moment in time. "It's good to be back…" she murmured, lashing her tail in delight as she stopped beside the lake.

"Do you always talk to yourself?" an amused voice sounded beside her. She let out a gasp of surprise and found herself staring into the icy blue eyes of Jayfeather, his face tilted curiously.

"Jayfeather!" Ivypool breathed gratefully. It had worked! Maybe she was better at walking in dreams than she thought.

"I heard you calling to me, you know. I somehow knew you needed to contact me," he murmured, sitting on his haunches. "So, I'm guessing you want an update."

Ivypool nodded quickly, sitting in front of him. Jayfeather sighed, the weariness and sorrow suddenly showing in his normally cynical expression. "The Dark Forest has destroyed the clans and made them one. We are being split into four sections, apart from out clanmates. Tomorrow they will announce where we're supposed to go. And… Daisy was killed. The queens were also separated from their kits."

Ivypool let the realization sink in, horror washing over her. She felt her heart sink to her paws, the lightness and freedom she had felt moments ago washing away. "No…" she whispered, sinking her claws into the ground. There was no way the clans could be saved, at least not right now. They were in ruins. Grief stung at her chest as if claws had just ripped her open.

"Dovewing is okay apart from a few wounds. But Thistleclaw has been assigned as her permanent guardian. The Dark Forest warriors are watching me, your sister, and Lionblaze like hawks. Brokenstar knows the truth about us. I think he's planning to use us for one of his twisted schemes…" Jayfeather growled, his eyes flashing in anger.

"Jayfeather, you need to rally some warriors together. You can't give up! Those of us who left are planning, and we're sending help soon… You've got to tell Dovewing, and everyone, that this isn't the end…" she pleaded.

"I can't do that, Ivypool. Not now. We need some time to heal, some time to figure things out. I will tell Dovewing I visited you, but I can't rally together a rebel force until wounds are closed and we have time to settle in." Jayfeather hung his head, looking defeated. It was obvious he wanted to overthrow the Dark Forest, but with the condition the cats were in at the time, there was no way that was possible.

"Jayfeather, I-" she was cut off as her surroundings began to fade. She let out a mrrow of protest, desperate to hang on. With the blink of an eye, her dream had finished.

* * *

She awoke to a nightmare.

Claws pierced her shoulders. Furious snarls erupted around her as her clanmates woke up to the violence.

_No! The Dark Forest warriors have come for us…_ she thought, panicked, flailing her paws against the darkness. She could make out the yellow eyes of the cat above her, the muscular, gruff figure of a tom. He breathed in her face, the glint of moonlight coming off of his white fangs. Other strange cats had pinned her clanmates. She recognized the scent of the cats she had smelled earlier, the cats they had assumed were just passing through. So it wasn't the Dark Forest after all.

Not that it made these cats any less dangerous.

Ivypool felt a surge of strength flood through her paws as she kicked upwards, knocking the tom off balance. She leapt to her paws, finding they were still heavy with sleep. She stumbled slightly as she clawed at the tom's side, her blows awkward and badly aimed. The tom stood with a chuckle and advanced towards her. She saw that his pelt was pure black, his muscles rippling beneath his shiny fur. He blended with the night air, apart from his yellow eyes and white teeth.

"Slow, aren't you, kitty?" he purred in a strange accent. He must have been from far away, certainly not from around the clan territory. He smelled faintly of a twoleg monster, the smoky stench that came after the beasts had passed.

"Quick enough to beat you, mousebrain," she snarled, launching at him. She raked her claws down his broad shoulders. He went limp beneath her, and Ivypool lightened her grip with satisfaction.

He suddenly threw her off and jumped on her before she had time to blink. She could feel the blood trickle down her limbs as her pinned her again, leaving her unable to move.

"Now that I have you attention," he snarled, shoving his muzzle close to her face, "Who are you, and what are you doing in our territory?"

* * *

**This chapter was relatively short, but I was okay with it. It got out details that needed to get out, and it ended with a cliffhanger, of course. :P**

**Next chapter, we will return to the clans, from the POV of Dovewing! She's my favorite to write, so I'll make it a long chapter :P.**

**What happens next? Keep following to find out...**

**~Mary~**


	5. Chapter 4

NEW ALLEGIANCES: FallenClan

(T)= formerly of ThunderClan, (W)= formerly of WindClan, (S)= formally of ShadowClan, (R)= formerly of RiverClan, (D)= Dark Forest

DIVISION ONE

Located in the old ShadowClan camp

Commander: Brokenstar (D)

Co-Commander: Thistleclaw (D)

Medicine Attendant: Kestrelflight (W)- mottled gray tom

Upper Ranks:

Tigerheart (S)- dark brown tabby tom

Breezepelt (W)- black tom with amber eyes

Various Dark Forest Warriors

Lower Ranks:

Dovewing (T)- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Spiderleg (T)- long-limbed black tom with brown underbelly and amber eyes

Foxleap (T)- reddish tabby tom

Icecloud (T)- white she-cat

Bumblestripe (T)- very pale gray tom with black stripes

Reedwhisker (R)- black tom

Untouchables:

Briarlight (T)- dark brown she-cat

Onestar (W)- brown tabby tom

DIVISION TWO

Located in the old WindClan camp

Commander: Maplestar (D)

Co-Commander: Snowtuft (D)

Medicine Attendant: Littlecloud (S)- very small tabby tom

Upper Ranks:

Various Dark Forest Warriors

Lower Ranks:

Sandstorm (T)- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Thornclaw (T)- golden brown tabby tom

Berrynose (T)- cream-colored tom

Lionblaze (T)- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Cinderheart (T)- gray tabby she-cat

Rowanclaw (S)-ginger tom

Untouchables:

Brightheart (T)- white she-cat with ginger patches

Mistystar (R)- gray she-cat with blue eyes

DIVISION THREE

Located in the old RiverClan camp

Commander: Hawkfrost (D)

Co-commander: Clawface (D)

Medicine Attendant: Mothwing (R)- dappled golden she-cat

Upper Ranks:

Various Dark Forest warriors

Lower Ranks:

Toadstep (T)- black-and-white tom

Sorreltail (T)- tortoiseshell and white she-cat

Crowfeather (W)- dark gray tom

Cloudtail (T)- long-haired white tom with blue eyes

Untouchables:

Millie (T)- striped gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Leafpool (T)- light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, former medicine cat

DIVISION FOUR

Located in the old ThunderClan camp

Commander: Tigerstar (D)

Co-commander: Darkstripe (D)

Medicine Attendant: Jayfeather (T)- gray tabby tom with bling blue eyes

Upper ranks:

Various Dark Forest warriors

Lower Ranks:

Graystripe (T)- long-haired gray tom

Dustpelt (T)- dark brown tabby tom

Squirrelflight (T)- dark ginger she-cat with blue eyes

Dawnpelt (T)- cream-furred she-cat

Hazeltail (T)- small gray-and-white she-cat

Untouchables:

Purdy (T)-plump tabby former loner with a gray muzzle

****I only put in important characters in the story (ThunderClan cats, leaders, deputies.)! Too much effort to mention every cat :P just use your imagination for the rest.****

**Chapter Four**

It was still nightfall when Dovewing blinked open her eyes. A silence hung in the air, normally so peaceful, but now foreboding and ominous. She shivered, looking over to Ivypool. She felt choked with grief when she saw her sister's unoccupied nest, felt the emptiness beside her.

She got to her paws and cautiously peered out of the den. Dark Forest warriors were strung throughout the camp, lazily snoring and mumbling in their sleep. Another pair of eyes glittered from the shadows, and Dovewing paused as they met her gaze coldly.

"You're awake," a low voice murmured, and the cat fully revealed himself. A dark brown tabby, lithe and muscular. "Tigerstar…" she hissed, unsheathing her claws as she quietly padded out of the den, making sure to let her clanmates rest in peace.

"Wrong," the tom mewed, cocking his head, "Really, Dovewing, do you have bees in your brain?"

Dovewing blinked in surprise as she realized she had mistaken Tigerheart for Tigerstar. The fur spiked along her shoulders. She was still unsettled around him, especially after he had betrayed his clan and was a warrior of the Dark Forest. *

"What do you want?" she mumbled, staring down at her paws. Despite the fact that he was the enemy now, she couldn't help but feel a sort of pull towards him. A tug at her heart that she couldn't suppress when she was around him.

"Come now, is that any way to talk to your _mate?_" he hissed suddenly. Dovewing's mouth dropped in shock.

"I'm sorry, I think I misheard you. You said _mate…"_ she trailed off, confusion crossing her face.

"Well, you have to do what a Dark Forest warrior tells you," he stated promptly, "I'm a Dark Forest warrior. And I'm telling you I want us to be together, Dovewing. I'm telling you we must be together."

The slight pull towards him that she had felt was cut off. She recoiled, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. Could he be so cruel? After all they had been through? "N-no, Tigerheart… I won't do it! I don't _love _you!" she growled, her ears flattening against her head.

"You will, one day," he whispered, staggering closer to her. Dovewing couldn't help but notice the spittle hanging out of his mouth, the way his eyes had narrowed, consuming her in their fiery depths…

* * *

"WAKE UP, MOUSEBRAINS! IT'S TIME FOR THE SEPERATION!" a voice yelled close to her ear. Dovewing jolted upright, shaking. Sleepiness clouded her mind, and it took her a moment to realize that her encounter with Tigerheart had only been a dream.

That didn't make her feel any better.

She stumbled outside of the warriors den, her paws heavy as led. Dark Forest warriors had flanked the sides of the ThunderClan camp.

Dovewing painfully recalled the events of yesterday. Brokenstar had announced the official division would happen in the morning. Dovewing swallowed the lump in her throat as she realized this may be the last time her clan was together.

She detected a slight struggle just outside the camp. Extending her hearing, she drew in a sharp gasp as she caught the voice of Mapleshade and the tiny mews of kits.

"Where are we going, Mapleshade?" a kit squeaked. Dovewing felt her pelt itch with anxiety.

"We're going to a new home, sweet ones. You'll be able to grow up alongside other kits, now that you're all in the same clan," Mapleshade purred in response.

"Yuck! I don't wanna catch fleas from the other clans!" another kit spat.

Mapleshade growled lowly in response. "No more of that talk. You're all siblings, after all. I am your mother, remember? You'll get to grow up with me and your siblings. I will teach you to become very powerful and smart warriors."

The kits mews fell silent as they cheerfully bounced alongside the she-cat. Dovewing sank her claws into the ground. _I have to tell someone before it's too late…_

She padded silently towards the huge silhouette of Lionblaze, catching his scent a few meters to the left. Suddenly, a figure blocked her path.

"Just where are you going?" a low voice chuckled. In the dimmed light of the morning, Dovewing could barely make out the scarred pelt of Thistleclaw. She flattened her ears against her head.

"I'm going to talk to a clanmate," she snapped, struggling to get around him.

"No, you don't. Brokenstar and I had a little chat last night. No non-Dark Forest warrior cat is permitted to speak to you unless through me. Brokenstar goes on and on about you. I don't quite know why, but you're something special to him. And I get the _honor _of not letting you out of my sight," he growled sarcastically, huffing in exasperation.

"_What!_" Dovewing cried, her eyes widening in shock. How was she supposed to keep Jayfeather and Lionblaze up to date regarding the plans of the Dark Forest?

"Mhm. Which means, lucky for you, you get to accompany me everywhere I go. And I should be pretty busy, considering I'm the new deputy of Division One. So we'll be spending a lot of time together," he snickered, running his tail along Dovewing's spine. She recoiled in disgust, her eyes flashing in apprehension.

"Shut up, the lot of you," a sharp growl sounded from the front of the camp. In the fading shadows, Dovewing caught sight of a brown tabby pelt laced with puckered scars. Tigerstar had come to take over.

"Get into your groups. You will be escorted to your new camps immediately," he snapped, pacing back and forth at the front of the camp.

Dovewing heard hisses of annoyance as the cats separated into four clumps. She caught sight of Lionblaze, his gaze boring into her as he passed by. This could be the last time they talked for a long, long while.

Gulping, she fell in beside Foxleap, Spiderleg, Icecloud, Briarlight, and Bumblestripe, who had been assigned the same division as her. Despite everything, Dovewing felt the slightest bit of relief at having Bumblestripe with her. His eyes trailed over to her, and he moved so they were touching shoulders.

"Now, get out of my sight," Tigerstar snapped. The Dark Forest warriors formed a tight circle around the cats and they began their trek towards ShadowClan. Dovewing craned her neck to get a final view of her one, true home. It looked dark under the gray sky, empty apart from the cats who were staying behind. Dovewing couldn't stop herself from drawing in sharp, panicky breaths. She didn't want to leave- she couldn't! She let out a small whimper and stopped suddenly, causing Thistleclaw to crash into her.

"Let's keep it moving, sweetheart!" he growled, shoving her roughly forward. Bumblestripe snarled at him, draping his tail over Dovewing's shoulders.

"It's okay. Just focus. I'm here, I won't leave you," he whispered. Dovewing flicked her ears and continued to process forward slowly, the lump in her throat refusing to leave all the while.

"Shut up, you!" another Dark Forest cat snapped. The silence was heavy as they neared the camp. Dovewing could still smell the fresh blood of slain warriors, and she shivered as a gust of wind picked up and brushed past her silver fur.

Briarlight struggled to keep up, and Dovewing watched as Spiderleg grabbed her scruff gently and helped her walk forward. Dovewing felt her heart sink, wondering what fate was to befall the injured she-cat. She would do all she could to protect her.

The other clan groups had already arrived when they pushed through into the camp. They sat huddled in their small packs, eyeing the others wearily. _We're not the enemies! The Dark Forest warriors are!_ she wanted to yowl. If the clan cats treated each other as enemies, there was no hope left. They needed to come together.

"Untouchables shall be housed in the cages," an icy voice called. Dovewing found herself looking into the cold gaze of Brokenstar, who was draped casually on the highrock. He met her gaze and drew his lips back in delight. Dovewing inclined her head away from him, suppressing a sob.

She watched as Briarlight was picked up and thrown roughly into the prisoner area. The small, hunched figure of Mistystar was huddled in the corner of the same area, eyes glazed over, defeated.

Everything was dark, silent, gloomy. Broken souls and crushed felines cluttered around the camp. Brokenstar was purring loudly with satisfaction, and Dovewing resisted to very strong urge to bunch her muscles and launch herself at him. The cat that was the root of this problem. The cat that ripped apart the clans. _One day…_ she thought, eyes glittering with anger. The clans would be redeemed. But for now, that would have to wait.

Dovewing felt another pair of eyes burning into her. She turned curiously, and her heart nearly stopped. Tigerheart was shoulder-to-shoulder with Breezepelt, a deep frown settled into his muzzle. Her fur rose as she remembered her nightmare. His cold voice, glittering eyes… he looked just like Tigerstar…

She watched as he turned away, almost seeming ashamed. Her thoughts were cut off by another voice.

"Welcome, Division One," Brokenstar stated smoothly, leaping down from the highrock and weaving among the cats. Dovewing flinched as his pelt brushed against hers, an involuntary shiver running through her pelt.

"I should hope you know the rules by now. I will not be repeating myself. Remember the consequences if you break one," he purred, flicking his tail back and forth, eyeing all the cats like prey. Dovewing looked over to see Briarlight and Mistystar huddled in the shadowy part of the prison, their coats already matted and dirty from the muddy, soaked ground in that corner of the camp.

"You've had your resting time. The hard work begins today. Upper ranks will designate each of you into a patrol. You will hunt and you will not eat until each Dark Forest cat receives a stomach full of prey." When he finished, he turned and stalked into the darkness of the leader's den.

"Come on, then," Thistleclaw grunted, moving to stand beside her. Two skinny Windclanners joined their patrol, along with a hefty Riverclan tom. They miserably trekked behind Thistleclaw.

Dovewing hated the pines on the forest floor. They pricked her paws. When she was not stepping on the pines, her paws were sinking into the muddy ground.

"Ugh, how do ShadowClan cats manage to get around in such a place!" she murmured to herself.

"Silence!" Thistleclaw hissed, stopping suddenly. Dovewing almost crashed into him, stopping herself when she was inches from his broad, scarred shoulder.

"Split up and meet back here. Don't think about running off, either. Our warriors are posted throughout the forest," he snapped. The other three cats scurried off, and Dovewing turned to leave.

"Oh no, you don't," Thistleclaw mewed hoarsely, glaring at her, "You have to come with me, kit. I trust you least of all, and Brokenstar would flay me if you ran off."

Dovewing sighed heavily, hanging her head. She followed him, her head throbbing, her legs like led as they dragged through the muck beneath her.

She strained her hearing, desperate to hunt, to feed the wretched "Upper ranks" so that the clan cats might get a bite to eat.

She heard a mouse far to the left. She turned quietly towards it. She felt Thistleclaw pause, his eyes burning into her. Quickly she swept forward, crushing the mouse beneath her paws. She said a silent prayer to StarClan, lifting her head slightly towards the sky.

"Praying to StarClan?" Thistleclaw hissed, and Dovewing jumped, not knowing he had crept so close. She glared at him, picking up the mouse in her jaws.

"There's no StarClan anymore," he growled, his eyes glittering, "That's the beauty of all this. StarClan has tortured us for centuries, weighing us down with laws and rules, holding us back! The clans could have been great long ago, wiping out stupid threats such as kittypets and dogs and rogues in the blink of an eye! We could have united, risen above any problems-"

"And at what cost?" Dovewing spat, turning on him suddenly, the mouse in her jaws dropping to the ground. "The rules keep us from killing eachother! If not for StarClan, the clans would be in disarray! Blood would stain the paws of every cat, innocent cats would die! You don't see it, none of you see it! StarClan protects us from our own foolishness, our own cruel ambitions!" She felt her anger rising, her strength to its highest point, cold adrenaline pumping through her veins. "I've heard stories of you, Thistleclaw. You wanted to be leader- you used brute strength and tooth and claw to battle your way to the top, only to have it taken from you. You must realize- all of you must realize- bloodshed creates problems, it doesn't solve them. Every cat like you- Tigerstar, Brokenstar, Scourge- has relied on mindless violence to obtain their goals. They were brought down. Don't you see the pattern, Thistleclaw? No matter how hard you try, you can't keep a force down for long. You can't keep the clans as your personal attendants forever. If StarClan is destroyed, so be it. But so long as there is a warrior with a clean, good, heart within these woods, there is hope. There is an end in sight- an end to your mousebrained ideas of how you're supposed to run the clans!" She finished, out of breath, staring ferociously into his eyes.

Thistleclaw stood still for a while, his mouth slightly slack, eyes not bothering to hide their shock. He was speechless. Dovewing tensed her muscles as she saw his eyes narrow in. Too late.

He moved.

She flew backwards against the rough bark of a pine tree, breath knocked out of her tiny figure. He sprang on her, ripping her flesh open, blood outwardly spraying onto the ground. Dovewing didn't cry out- couldn't cry out- as he tore at her. She could feel skin hanging off of her, clumps of fur missing from her underbelly, which was soaked with crimson blood. Thistleclaw finally withdrew himself, huffing loudly.

"Do _not, _ever, bring up my past to me, you miserable excuse for a cat. Do not lecture me on the goodness of the clans and of StarClan. In fact- keep your mouth shut altogether when you're around me." He drew closer, then, his breath stirring her ear fur, his whiskers brushing her sunken cheeks. "Because if you do, I will kill you in the slowest, most painful way possible. I don't care what you mean to Brokenstar. Your life means nothing to me. And your death shall mean nothing to me either. Get up. We're going back to camp."

Dovewing made a whimpering noise, drawing herself back onto all fours. She picked up her mouse and bit harshly into it to keep from crying out.

They were the last two to arrive back in the camp. All eyes turned to her as she weakly limped through the camp, her blood dripping from her wounds onto the ground. She dropped her mouse in the pile, gritting her teeth together.

"DOVEWING!" Bumblestripe cried out, rushing towards her. He pressed against her, and she let him take part of her weight. Black spots were beginning to cloud her vision, and she felt her eyelids closing.

"What is the meaning of this?" she distantly heard Brokenstar's furious snarl. Thistleclaw said something, then, but Dovewing couldn't make it out- she could barely hear anything. Blood roared in her ears, and she let out another feeble meow, her head beginning to hang.

"Kestrelflight, treat this cat NOW! She may not die, or everyone will be punished!" Brokenstar was frantically snarling close to her. Dovewing was dragged to the medicine cat den and laid on a brittle, uncomfortable nest. She felt the cobwebs being pressed against her stomach.

Something softer than the dried moss beneath her was brushing her ear. She weakly turned her head to see what it was.

A green leaf with pointed edges, and red spherical berries settled near the bottom of the stem.

A holly leaf.

_StarClan… _was Dovewing's last thought before she faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

**What… what is this? An update? Finally?**

**Yes.**

**I'm so sorry- I've been neglecting this story so much! This definitely isn't the chapter you guys deserve. It's rather random in my opinion, kind of scattered, and a bit too short.**

**I just wanted a chapter showing Dovewing kind of cracking, giving a speech to Thistleclaw. He basically had his ass handed to him, in my opinion =3. Dovewing was a bit too soft-spoken, I wanted to give her an edge in the scene with Thistleclaw in the woods.**

**Soo.. Tigerheart and Bumblestripe are both in Division One, and poor Dovewing is right in the center! Drama will ensue.**

**Also, Thistleclaw is gonna get a beating from Brokenstar, and Dovewing will heal… I sure hope you didn't think I was going to kill her off! She is incredibly important!**

**In case you didn't catch it, the holly leaf Dovewing saw meant Hollyleaf, the cat, of course. A sign? Maybe.**

**As always, thank you for reading and reviewing! Updates should move at a less scattered pace now! I love you all!**

**~Mary~**


	6. Chapter 5

"_Jayfeather…"_

_There was something… moving. Shapeless forms in the fog around him. Ominous shadows flanking his sides, closing him in._

"_Release us, Jayfeather. SAVE US!"_

* * *

Jayfeather woke to a sharp prodding at his side. "Get up, you lazy piece of crowfood! This isn't the nursery!"

Jayfeather could smell the horrid stench of Darkstripe beside him. He sighed and got to his paws, looking angrily towards where the tom was standing. "Oh, my apologies. I suppose cleaning the fleas off of you mange-pelts all day has made me tired."

"Watch your tongue, kitty, or I may just have to cut it out," Darkstripe snarled, but Jayfeather did not react to his threat, just shrugged in annoyance. "Anyways, Tigerstar needs to see you right away."

Jayfeather stalked over to the leader. He was easy to pick out- he was the largest presence in the camp, and pride rolled off of him in waves.

"Ah, there you are," the tabby growled, staring him down, "Follow me."

Jayfeather reluctantly walked after the tom into the leader's den. His pelt prickled with anger. _This is Firestar's den. Tigerstar doesn't deserve to make his nest in the same place._

"I have an order, courtesy of Brokenstar. We need you to walk in several cats dreams- spy on them, if you must. Find out if there is any thoughts of rebellion amongst them."

Jayfeather recoiled in horror, his mouth dropping slightly. Betray the cats who were on his side?

"I'd rather die," he growled lowly, narrowing his eyes at the tom. He heard a dark chuckle.

"We cannot kill you, of course…" Tigerstar murmured, "But we can hurt those you care about most. In fact, if you do not agree to this… we will hold a public execution tomorrow. For every cat that has previously belonged to ThunderClan."

"You wouldn't do that," Jayfeather said calmly, but his nerves felt on edge. If Tigerstar made good on his word, then the blood of his clanmates would be on his paws.

"Try me, Jayfeather. I've spilled plenty of blood before- what's a few more lives? Especially now that StarClan has disappeared," he chuckled. Jayfeather unsheathed his claws, a growl rumbling deep in his throat. It was times like these where vision would be helpful- so he could flay the cat in front of him without a second thought.

"Touchy, touchy. Be careful, kitty. You don't know quite who you're dealing with here," Tigerstar mewed lightly, beginning to walk past Jayfeather. "You're mission starts tonight. With Leafpool. And don't bother lying. It will only bring you grief."

Jayfeather froze, feeling a gasp escape his chest. Leafpool? His own mother?

It was not so much the spying he was worried about. It was the fact that he knew Leafpool would be coming up with some sort of rebellion- and he wasn't sure he could cover for her. He wasn't sure he would be able to lie.

The Dark Forest cats had killed liars and traitors without a second thought. There was no way out of this.

The medicine cat lowered his head as he stalked out of his deceased leader's den. He felt uneasy in the camp, like he was one of the Dark Forest cats. Like he was unwanted by his new clanmates and his old ones.

"Jayfeather! Psst!" a voice came from nearby. Jayfeather jumped, catching the scent of Squirrelflight. He felt unease and anger rising in his chest- whenever he was near the she-cat that had pretended to be his mother, that had lied, he could not seem to shake such feelings, no matter how bad things around him had gotten.

"What?" he snapped, turning to face her. He smoothed his fur out, trying to calm himself. _She's not the enemy, mousebrain._

_But that doesn't change what she did to my family._

Squirrelflight tensed up slightly, and Jayfeather could nearly feel the sorrow coming off her in waves. "I-I was just wondering what Tigerstar had spoken to you about," she mewed.

"It's nothing," he replied curtly, deciding to save himself the trouble of having to explain his dilemma. Jayfeather could only imagine Squirrelflight's reaction when she discovered Leafpool was going to be spied on- the sisters were unseperable.

He could feel the she-cat scrutinizing him. She didn't believe him. "You can trust me, Jayfeather. We're on the same side."

Jayfeather nodded stiffly, willing himself to be kinder. "It's really nothing." He turned and walked away from her without saying another word. Besides, he could feel several Dark Forest Warriors listening in on their conversation, eager to report to their leader signs of disobedience by the lowly clan cats.

As he padded back to his den, his thoughts travelled to his dream. The voices, the shadows, the mist. If those… things were StarClan, then he had no idea how to help them. They seemed like they were lost, separated from their home, from their kin still in the forest. But one thing was for sure. StarClan was out there somewhere. And that meant all hope was not lost.

"Cats of Division Four! Report to your dens. At sunrise you will wake and be separated for patrols," Tigerstar yowled. Jayfeather pricked his ears as he heard the clan cats shuffling quickly into their new nests, obviously wanting to avoid getting into any trouble with the huge tabby.

Jayfeather sensed the new leader approaching him. "Do as you were told, Jayfeather. You don't want to see what happens if you fail," he growled lowly before stalking away.

Sleep made his limbs heavy as he settled on his nest and slipped away with a sigh.

* * *

_The moonlight overhead shone silver on the lake below. Jayfeather was walking on the sandy shores of the lake, feeling relaxed and at ease._

"_If only this was reality," he sighed to himself, staring at the serenity around him._

_He caught the scent of another cat. A flash of brown passed through the trees beside him._

_Suddenly, Tigerstar's threat returned to his mind. Leafpool. He had to follow her._

_Slipping into the trees, he kept a safe distance behind his mother. She was heading towards the moonpool. He wasn't surprised._

_Leafpool crept out of the trees and into the open. Jayfeather pricked his ears in surprise as she whispered loudly. "Squirrelflight?"_

_The ginger she-cat emerged from the left side of the moonpool. The sisters rubbed shoulders, purring loudly._

"_You sure they won't know?" Squirrelflight whispered._

"_Positive. No Dark Forest cat is powerful enough to spy on dreams without that cat's permission," Leafpool mewed. Jayfeather lowered his head in shame._

_He was powerful enough. And he was spying for the enemy._

"_Tomorrow I'm meeting with several of the Division Four cats in secret," Squirrelflight informed her, blinking slowly. "We're going to start making the plans."_

_Leafpool nodded approvingly. "Don't let them see you. I can't even imagine what they would do if they caught wind of this."_

_Jayfeather let out a breath, feeling the burden growing with each passing minute. They would get caught._

_And it was his fault._

_Suddenly, Jayfeather heard a loud mewling noise behind him. He turned around in shock before he was ripped from his dream._

* * *

"GET UP, CROWFOOD!" Darkstripe was yowling. Jayfeather could hear him pacing outside of Tigerstar's den.

Wonderful. Another day of listening to lazy Dark Forest cats yowl orders at them as if they were kits.

Jayfeather stood, shaking out his pelt and stretching his sore limbs. He drew in a shaky breath.

He had to decide, quickly. Tell the truth and risk the safety of two of his kin? Or lie and risk the safety of his entire clan?

Tigerstar approached him, his gaze burning into Jayfeather as if he was zoning in on a piece of prey. Jayfeather swallowed the lump in his throat.

"Any news? Be wise, Jayfeather," the tom growled menacingly, sitting in front of Jayfeather, his muscles tensed threateningly.

Jayfeather paused, his mind racing. It was now or never.

"You're about to lie, aren't you?" Tigerstar mewed curiously. "I can always tell when I'm talking to a liar. They tense up a bit, get a twitch along their spine. Their eyes- yes, even if they're blind- shift around, as if they are looking for some way around the truth. You're words right now determine the fate of one cat, or the fate of many. You decide."

Jayfeather gulped, feeling his shoulders slump.

"She is planning something."

* * *

**A/N: **Yes I updated. Shocking.

Well, well. Even sharp-minded Jayfeather is cracking under the pressure of the Dark Forest.

If you are starting to worry about Leafpool dying, don't. She won't die.


	7. Chapter 6

_Keep your fur flat, Lionblaze. Letting your anger get in the way of things will only cause problems- for everyone._

Lionblaze sunk his claws in and out of the soil, grinding his teeth together. It was day two of the new divisions, and if one more Dark Forest cat tried to order him around, he wasn't quite sure if he could stop himself from flaying them alive and leaving them for the crows to peck at.

"You're not looking so good," a light voice murmured behind him. He whipped around to see Cinderheart, her gray tabby fur sleek and smooth despite the constant wind pelting the cats. Lionblaze hated everything about the WindClan camp. It was cold and too open, and the grass was too long. It made his fur itch whenever he walked through it. Plus, rabbits were increasingly difficult to catch, especially for a cat of his stature. He was built for the forest, not for a treeless, barren field.

But seeing Cinderheart- whether it be observing her from afar or exchanging words with her- had a way of calming him down. Lionblaze felt a pounding in his chest when he talked to her, much more prominent than with his idiotic crush on Heathertail. After everything, at least she had not been taken from him.

After she had discovered the truth about her past life, she had changed. She carried her head a bit higher, and spoke with wisdom beyond her age. She was still the same cat, of course, but who wouldn't change at least a little after finding out that you're actually ThunderClan's medicine cat reborn?

"I am just getting a bit tired of these lazy fleabags lounging about as we do their work. If they keep this up, they'll be the size of the fattest kittypets by the next full moon," the golden tabby tom grumbled. Cinderheart's chest rumbled with laughter, and Lionblaze couldn't suppress the purr rising within him. He was glad he could make her happy, especially in a situation such as the one they were currently stuck in.

"Enjoying yourselves?" a cold voice mewed. Lionblaze and Cinderheart turned around, fur rising. Mapleshade stood to the side, an amused look on her face. Her ginger and white pelt looked shiny and sleek, her figure a bit fuller- no doubt due to the food the clan cats had been catching for her. The clan cats, in fact, looked thinner- Lionblaze himself was constantly hungry- the clanners were limited to one piece of prey per day, and he hated the stringy taste of rabbits.

"We were a moment ago," Cinderheart murmured, and Lionblaze had to stop the laughter from coming out. Mapleshade, however, did not find it as humorous.

She padded slowly forward and suddenly struck out, hooking her claws in Cinderheart's left cheek. Cinderheart let out a yowl of shock as Mapleshade ripped backwards, taking a large patch of skin and fur with her. Lionblaze felt the anger rise like a wall of fire within him, and he leapt forward onto the she-cat, attacking her for the second time.

"Mrrow-ow-ow!" Mapleshade mewed loudly as Lionblaze raked her underbelly. It took him a moment to realize that the she-cat was laughing, as if she was watching something funny. Personally, Lionblaze found nothing about pain and bloodshed funny.

Several pairs of jaws locked around his back and neck, attempting to haul him off of Mapleshade as he ripped open her skin. It took five Dark Forest cats to pull him back. His strength faded as the blind fury inside of him ebbed away, replaced by desperation as he looked for Cinderheart. He found her, hunched over, eyes clouded, the skin on her left cheek gone, replaced by bare flesh and dripping scarlet blood. Littlecloud ran over to her, pressing cobwebs against the wound.

"Leave her to suffer the pain," Mapleshade rasped, wincing as she stood slowly, blood spilling from her underbelly.

_At least you are suffering too, _Lionblaze thought, growling out loud as large felines blocked him from advancing towards Cinderheart.

Lionblaze caught a movement from the corner of the camp. Brightheart, who had been designated an "Untouchable" because of her facial disfigurement, had seen the chance to escape the cage she was held in while the guards were occupied with Lionblaze. She held her head high as she walked over to Cinderheart, reapplying the cobwebs Littlecloud had dropped on the ground and leading Cinderheart to her nest.

"Get the untouchable back where it belongs. Let me handle Lionblaze," Mapleshade snarled, eyes darting around. Lionblaze felt his heart ache as Brightheart was dragged back to she and Mistystar's underground burrow. The she-cat had risked her own safety to help Cinderheart.

The warrior code had not died quite yet.

Lionblaze's chest heaved for breath as he looked down at Mapleshade. "You are quick to act, aren't you? This is the second time in a matter of days I have received injuries from you," Mapleshade snickered, ignoring the open wounds lacing her body.

"Perhaps it's because you keep hurting those close to me," Lionblaze replied coldly, never once removing his gaze from hers.

"Her?" Mapleshade scoffed, turning her head to glare briefly at Cinderheart, "She's weak. Pathetic. A strong cat such as yourself shouldn't be tied down with _feelings, _Lionblaze. You could be great. After all… there was a time when you trained with Tigerstar, was there not?"

Lionblaze curled his lip. "I was young and foolish. I'm not so easily manipulated now."

"Are you? When you're angry, Lionblaze, I've noticed you act suddenly and with such force. It took five cats to pull you off of me. Anger is a strong emotion. Anger can be turned into power. I once helped a young cat who was angry at his mother for neglecting him- only because he looked a bit different. He put his frustrations into training with me, and he became leader. Of course, he let his foolish emotions get in the way, and everything had to end in tragedy," Mapleshade finished, her eyes gleaming as if she was seeing back into the past. Lionblaze felt a bit curious as to who the cat was, but decided it was better to ignore Mapleshade and her consistent chatter.

"I don't want power. I want you all to leave the forest. You have your lives- go form a new clan somewhere else. Leave the rest of us out of it," Lionblaze retorted, narrowing his amber gaze.

Mapleshade threw her chin up and rumbled with laughter. "Leave? This was not about starting over with new lives, Lionblaze! It was about _revenge. _It was about anger and hurt and power. Maybe it's time you realize only the cruel and ambitious can achieve their goals. Kindness gets you nowhere."

Lionblaze turned away, not wanting to discuss it any longer. He was sick of it, sick of all of them, sick of being bossed around. Anger was powerful, yes, but only if you put all of it towards something you wished to get rid of. And for Lionblaze, it was the Dark Forest.

"You will give in to your emotions sooner or later, Lionblaze. You want power. It hums beneath your veins- you have an extraordinary gift. Clan codes restrict the potential that this gift has! I'm giving you the chance to let out what had been trapped within you. I'm giving you a chance to _live. _Join us. The only thing you must do is fight whomever we say- and that should be no problem for a cat as talented at fighting as yourself," Mapleshade purred, stepping closer to him.

For a moment, Lionblaze paused, letting her words sink in. It was true, in a way. In battles, Lionblaze would be itching to let his fury out, to take down any enemy in his path, but his clan would always stop him, or the battle would end too soon. _Maybe…_

"NO!" he roared suddenly, furious at himself for almost giving in to her mind trickery. "I won't. After everything you've done, all of you have done- killed my sister, put my friend's lives at risk, destroyed my clan- I could _never _stand beside you."

"You will change your mind. In one way or another," Mapleshade growled, before whipping around and stalking back into the leader's den. Lionblaze let her words sink in, suppressing a shudder. His eyes swept over the camp. The clan cats were separated from eachother, their pelts ruffled and dirty. Some of them eyed each other wildly. A WindClan cat hissed at a passing ShadowClanner, standing protectively over his piece of prey. The nests of the clan cats- held outside, in the center of the camp- were drying and brittle under the sun. The Dark Forest cats laid about in their dens, formerly the warriors den, eyes half-closed, purring like kittypets.

_We're becoming savages, _Lionblaze thought miserably. He heard Brightheart quietly soothing Mistystar in their prison hole, and found himself thinking of some way to help them. He got a piece of prey from the pile.

"That's your only one for today. Don't try to take any more," growled a Dark Forest cat, eyeing him warily. He let his claws unsheath, but forced himself to walk towards the "Untouchables", prey beneath his teeth.

"Here. Take my prey," Lionblaze murmured as he looked down into the prison. His was dark and dirty. Brightheart and Mistystar's pelts were streaked with dirt, and Mistystar was looking around wildly. Her clouded gaze zoned in on Lionblaze.

"Stonefur? Oh, Stonefur, you've come back!" she mewed shakily, making a feeble attempt to rush up the hole towards Lionblaze. Lionblaze dropped the prey, recoiling in confusion.

"Shh," Brightheart soothed her, pushing her down gently and giving the other she-cats fur a lick. Lionblaze watched in pity as the leader let out a whimper, sinking to the mud-covered ground.

"Is she okay?" Lionblaze whispered, looking around quickly. No cat had noticed him talking to the two she-cats quite yet, but he was incredibly concerned with Mistystar's health.

"She's getting sicker each day, having hallucinations. I wouldn't be surprised if she lost a life soon," Brightheart murmured, running her tail along Mistystar's back. "They give us a piece of prey to split each day and little water, and I know they would refuse to give us herbs if I asked. Thank you for the prey, Lionblaze. Would you mind… trying to sneak in some feverfew? It might help her. If it's too big of a risk, I'd understand."

"I'll try," Lionblaze promised, letting out a sigh.

"Bring it tomorrow. It's nearly nightfall," she murmured, letting out a yawn.

"I'll be back," Lionblaze said, turning and walking away.

Crossing the camp, he noticed Sandstorm facing the moors, sitting hunched over with her back to him. Lionblaze felt his heart ache as he saw her head tilt towards the sky, no doubt wondering if her lost mate was out there somewhere. He turned his head and saw Thornclaw, shifting his prey boredly beneath his paws. He and a few others had returned from a hunting patrol, and the pile was filling up once more. Dark Forest warriors seeped out in the open to snatch the best catches, leaving the smallest for the clan cats.

"HEY! That's mine!" a familiar voice snarled. Lionblaze rolled his eyes as he turned to see Berrynose crouching angrily in front of a ShadowClan cat, his eyes wild with anger, his pelt twitching.

Lionblaze walked over, wanting to solve the problem before any bloodshed occurred. "Berrynose, there's more prey available," he murmured, staring calmly at the tom.

"But that was MINE!" Berrynose yowled, his chest heaving for breath. Lionblaze looked at him disdainfully- he looked quite pitiful, his cream pelt streaked with dirt and hopping with fleas.

"Keep your head straight. We can't let them see you're weak," he whispered to Berrynose. This seemed to calm the other tom a bit, and he dipped his head, picking a mouse from the pile.

"START HEADING TO YOUR NESTS, FLEABAGS," came the voice of Snowtuft. The cats sulked off to their uncomfortable nests, eyes darting around in fear. Lionblaze went to lay next to Cinderheart, who had already dozed off, the cobwebs still pressed to her bloodied cheek. He ran his tail down her silver pelt.

"I'll protect you, no matter what," he whispered to her sleeping form, feeling a dull ache from inside. If anything else had happened to her… he didn't know what he would do.

_I wonder what Jayfeather and Dovewing are doing. I wonder if the rest of my clan is keeping their heads on straight. I wonder where the kits are. I wonder where StarClan is. I wonder…_

Lionblaze drifted off into sleep, his mind full and his heart heavy.

* * *

_The trees shifted in the warm wind. The familiar ThunderClan soil shifted beneath his golden paws, and he breathed in the forest air. He was home. At least for a while._

_He began running, loving the feeling of the ground pounding beneath him. He shifted to a stop when he saw a slim figure ahead of him. He began running after them, his curiosity peaking._

_The scene his stumbled into made his blood curl and his heart stop. It was the scattered bodies of Hollyleaf, Jayfeather, Cinderheart, Dovewing, and Ivypool, strewn through the deep trench that used to be the moonpool. A dark figure stood over them, its paws dripping with their blood._

_Lionblaze launched himself at the cat without a second thought. The cat made no move to stop him as he ripped open their skin, eventually shredding into their neck and throat. The feline twitched violently, making a gagging noise, before falling still. Lionblaze felt triumph surge beneath his paws as he got off the cat. _

"_Anger gives you _power, _Lionblaze. Embrace who you really are."_

* * *

Lionblaze awoke with a start, gasping for air. He looked around in horror. It was still night- all cats were asleep apart from one or two guards keeping watch. It was then that he saw two orbs glowing from the leaders den, narrowed in on him, and heard a light chuckle from within the shadows.

The battle to keep his sanity had begun.

* * *

**A/N: **So it was during this chapter that I realized I needed to expand the horizons a bit on this story. I was forgetting to include some of the other ThunderClan cats in the story, and leaving some plot points a mystery, such as how the other cats were reacting to the transitions. Lionblaze's questions before he falls asleep were also reminders to myself of the things I needed to address.

Lionblaze is feeling the pressure, but he is a fighter. I felt that he was extremely impulsive in the books, though, and thought that Mapleshade might be able to use this trait against him. I realize I used some big words, but I tried to stay true to the Erin's writing style.

The next chapter will focus on Ivypool and her encounter with the strange group of cats. Are they friends or foes? Tune in to find out!

P.S.- Mapleshade's story is a reference to the Warriors Super Edition "Crookedstar's Promise". If you haven't read it, I strongly suggest you do so- it was a powerful book.


	8. Chapter 7

The bitter stench of freshly spilled blood hung in the air as Ivypool stared into the round yellow eyes of the tom above her.

"What's the matter? Lost your tongue, kitty?" he snarled, thrusting his muzzle in her face and sinking his claws deeper into her limbs. She took in a deep breath, a shudder running through her body. Her body continued to struggle, but to no avail- not even training in the Dark Forest could throw off the huge black tom.

A flash of a brown figure crashed into the tom, causing his claws to rip Ivypool's skin as he was forcefully thrown off of her. Brambleclaw was now cornering the stranger, his swipes well-aimed, his eyes alight with the excitement of battle.

Ivypool stood, feeling blood drip down her legs and underbelly. She winced, realizing many of the wounds from the battle two days ago had been reopened. She was feeling dizzy from blood loss, and the slumber she had just awoken from made her mind tired and fuzzy.

She looked around, seeing the others fighting as best as they could, but the weariness from travelling and battle was evident.

"ENOUGH!" a ginger-colored tom called suddenly, and the mysterious cats ceased fighting immediately, bowing their heads. In the growing sunlight, Ivypool caught her breath. The tom was the mirror image of Firestar- his pelt looked like it had caught aflame, and his eyes were a bright, mischievous green. The only difference was that this cat had a white patch on his chest, and one of his ears was half-torn, giving him a daunting yet somehow comical appearance.

"This fight is pointless. This barn belongs to the Midnight Prowlers," he growled lowly, straightening his lanky frame to look more menacing. The fighting had ceased- Brambleclaw stepped forward with a hiss, flattening his ears to his head.

"This is unclaimed territory. You have no right to ambush us like- like savages!" he snarled. The ginger tom stepped forward with a smirk.

"My boy, I suppose you are the 'leader' of this disheveled group?" he asked, amused. Brambleclaw unsheathed his claws.

"We're only a small section of our clan. I'd like to see you mousebrains take on all of Thunderclan," Brambleclaw retorted, stepping closer to the tom. He was a bit taller, but something about the ginger tom's expression made him seem more dangerous than Brambleclaw.

"'Clans', you say?" he mewed, a strange expression crossing his scarred face. "I've heard of you. Wild cats hunting and fighting, trying to live under some type of 'code'. Pathetic."

Brambleclaw's shoulders trembled with the effort to stay in place. Ivypool herself was itching to flay the ginger tom, but his identical appearance to her recently deceased leader made her stop. Attacking him seemed somehow… wrong.

"It's not pathetic," she heard herself say briskly, causing the group to turn their heads towards her. The ginger tom cocked his head, taking a curious step towards Ivypool. She shivered suddenly, taking a step backwards.

"One good quality of this ragged group is the fighting skills. Never before have we took on a group with such precision, such detailed movements. Especially with this one- and a she-cat, nonetheless!" he chuckled, still staring at Ivypool. She felt her fur rise. _She-cats can do anything toms can do,_ she thought hotly. It was then that she realized the strange group was made up of only toms- no queens stood in their midst. Her curiousity peaked- who were these cats?

"So tell me," he mewed lowly, turning his head to Brambleclaw again, "What brings you so far from your home?"

Brambleclaw drew in a deep breath, a sorrowed expression crossing his face. Ivypool's head hung as she remembered what had happened- in the heat of the moment, she had found the thought of her broken clan slipping from her mind. _I can't lose focus. We're here for one reason only- to figure out a way to save the clans._

Brambleclaw launched into the story, sparing no details. Mews of disbelief echoed around the barn as he continued, talking about the Dark Forest, cats coming back from the dead, their leader and their friends slaughtered like prey. As he finished, a stunned silence hung in the air.

"So you are telling me that a bunch of ghosts attacked your home and took it over? And you expect us to believe such a tale?" the ginger tom snorted, his eyes narrowing.

"We don't expect you to believe anything, even though it is the truth. But you cannot tell me you do not see the wounds on our bodies and the sorrow in our faces- isn't that proof enough to know that something terrible has happened? We watched our clanmates die at the claws of the most treacherous cats that have ever walked the forest. We had to leave them… we had to save ourselves in order to save them. It may not make much sense, it may make no sense at all, but it was the only thing we could do. If we had stayed, we would have been the very first cats to die. I can promise you that," he finished, his tone heavy, his words searing Ivypool's heart.

The flame-colored tom's green gaze swept over the group as if seeing them for the first time. "As unbelievable as your story is, I can see that something horrible indeed has happened. And you have left to seek help, I presume?"

"We came to work on our fighting skills and recuperate in order to launch an attack on the Dark Forest. Ivypool here has learned incredible battle skills from the most dangerous cats ever to live. She worked as a spy for our clans and endured harsh, brutal training from the very cats that overthrew our leaders. She will teach us the moves that we need to know," he mewed quickly, obviously tired of the questions.

Ivypool felt her ears burning with embarrassment as, once again, all eyes swept towards her. The most piercing gaze was the one she felt behind her. She turned and noticed the black tom with yellow eyes looking her over intently, his tail sweeping in interest.

"I see," the ginger tom murmured, moving his shoulders back suddenly. "We ourselves could do with a little training. In fact, I think I have a proposition."

"Flicker," a gray tabby tom over to the side mewed quietly, blinking cautiously at his leader, "Don't go rushing in to anything. We hardly know these cats."

"Hush, Slade. I know what I'm doing," Flicker growled, narrowing his green gaze momentarily at Slade before turning back to Brambleclaw. "Allow us to learn these battle moves, and we will assist you in your attack upon this 'Dark Forest'. We will also allow you to stay in our barn."

Mews of shock rose from both the ThunderClan cats as well as the Midnight Prowlers. "Silence!" flicker hissed, and the Midnight Prowlers shut up at once. "This is my final decision. Do you agree… Well, I never did catch your name."

"Brambleclaw, deputy of Thunderclan," he replied, narrowing his eyes. "We accept your proposal, so long as you promise to help us."

"Brambleclaw, wait. How do we know they can be trusted?" Birchfall hissed, his ears flattened against his head.

"We don't. But they just might be our last hope," Brambleclaw whispered back. Ivypool shuddered suddenly. They would be staying with these cats? Wonderful.

"We may as well have proper introductions, then. As you may have heard, I am Flicker, leader of the Midnight Prowlers."

The gray tabby tom stepped forward, glaring accusingly at the ThunderClan cats. "I am Slade, second-in-command."

A wiry brown tom with black paws sat up straighter. "Socks," he said simply, his voice high-pitched for a male cat.

A huge white tom strutted forward, the largest of the group, his hazel eyes glowing almost a reddish hue in the growing sunlight. "Tiny," he mewed gruffly. Ivypool held in a peal of laughter- Tiny? It had to be some kind of joke.

A brown tom with a jagged scar running down the left side of his face slithered forward, a sly look on his ugly face. "Fox," he mewed quietly, his eyes narrowing in on each of them.

Finally, the black tom with yellow eyes stepped forward, next to Ivypool. He was easy on the eyes, Ivypool found herself thinking- he was tall and well built, a devilish look on his ebony face as he looked at Brambleclaw. "And I am Soot," he mewed smoothly, standing so close that his breath stirred Ivypool's fur, causing a shiver to run down her spine.

Birchfall, Brambleclaw, Mousewhisker, Blossomfall, and Ivypool politely introduced themselves. The silence was heavy after the cats had finished, as if no one knew what to say next.

"I think it's about time to get some shut-eye," Flicker said suddenly. The Midnight Prowlers began to slink off into different areas of the barn, settling down and closing their eyes.

"Sleep? But it's dawn!" Blossomfall protested, gaping at the toms. Flicker looked amusedly towards her.

"We're sleep during the day time. The night is when we hunt and fight," he explained. "If you don't mind, we will begin these training sessions as soon as the sun goes down."

Brambleclaw shrugged. "I suppose training at night would be more secretive. It would be easier for cats to find us if we were doing so in the sunlight. Besides, we're all tired- we should get some rest as well."

Ivypool nodded, finding herself weighed down by sleepiness. She followed Blossomfall and curled up next to her, closing her eyes against the rising sunlight and allowing herself to fall asleep.

But just before she surrendered to the darkness, she swore she caught the yellow eyes of Soot watching her carefully.

_Just what have we gotten ourselves into?_ She thought wearily before falling asleep.

* * *

TADAA! Okay this chapter sucks, I was kind of in a rush. And I got stuck FOREVER! Trying to come up with ideas. I know it seems kind of hurried, but a lot more about the Midnight Prowlers and each member of the group will be revealed in later chapters. It's going to be dramatic, I can tell you that!

Sorry this took me so long. I am a student, I have schoolwork. I should be updating at a more consistent rate from now on. ;)


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Finally, the blurred shapes in front of her eyes were starting to be somewhat recognizable. For the past couple of hours, she had been in and out of consciousness, unsure of what see was seeing was real life or simply a dream.

To her shock, the cat standing over her was Tigerheart. He had an emotionless facial expression, his eyes glimmering dully into view. She took in his smooth tabby pelt, the newer wounds from the battle etched into his skin, his warm amber eyes. Suddenly, it was like she had forgotten why she disliked him in the first place. All of the old feelings came flooding back.

"She's stirring," he murmured, stepping back. _No! Don't go,_ she thought miserably, letting out a moan.

A mottled gray tom came into view, his eyes narrowed in concentration. Right. She had forgotten that Kestrelflight was her new medicine cat. She had forgotten about FallenClan and the divisions. And she had forgotten about Tigerheart and his treachery. All the memories came flooding back, causing a pounding headache within her.

"Unngh," Dovewing moaned again, trying to sit up.

"Woah, woah. Slow down. You've lost a lot of blood," Kestrelflight scolded gently, pushing her back over with his tail. She scowled at him, her mind now cleared. But the sharp pain in from her stomach became suddenly worse. She cried out in pain.

"Thistleclaw really got you," Kestrelflight growled lowly, annoyance clear in his tone of voice. Dovewing froze. _Thistleclaw…_

"Foxdung!" she snarled suddenly, "I'll _flay _him." She ignored the pain as anger rose within her like a wall of fire. She shoved past Kestrelflight and stormed out of the medicine den, running directly into Brokenstar.

"Ah," he mewed lowly, blinking down at her, "looks like my prized warrior is feeling alright again."

She felt the anger settle, replaced by fear. Brokenstar never failed to cause intense feelings of shakiness within her. "I- Where's Thistleclaw?"

"Off to get revenge? Don't bother- he got what he deserved. Though I do enjoy it when you're angry," he purred. Dovewing's eyes widened as she took in his facial expression, the way he was leaning towards her… what exactly was he trying to pull?

"Uh…" she said quietly, backing up into the den. Bumblestripe peered over behind Brokenstar, a panicked expression on his face. She looked at the ground, unsure of what to say next.

"You know," Brokenstar murmured, stepping closer all the while, "If you would give in… to this anger, you could have everything you wanted. Power, a higher ranking, a _mate…"_

"Excuse me, Dovewing, you need to come back inside. You're swooning slightly. You're not quite fit to be back on your paws," Kestrelflight meowed, a stony expression on his face as he emerged from the den. Dovewing was beginning to feel queasy, but she wasn't sure if it was only her wounds anymore. She tripped as she walked slowly back into the medicine den, feeling Brokenstar's gaze burning into her back.

When she settled into her nest, she noticed Brokenstar had gone. Relief welled in her chest, but the questions and unease still hung in her mind. What did he mean by his offer? Especially the last part?

"Be careful, Dovewing. I think Brokenstar has an unhealthy obsession with you," Kestrelflight murmured so quietly that, if not for her extended hearing abilities, she would not have been able to make out what he said. She lowered her eyes to her paws.

"There's nothing I can do," she whispered back, misery clear on her face. Kestrelflight looked at her fiercely, then, a light shining in his eyes.

"There's always something."

Dovewing stayed silent for the next couple hours, her thoughts causing her head to pound. The herbs Kestrelflight had given her had lessened the pain, and she craned her neck to get a good view of the injuries. Puncture marks on her shoulders and bottom legs, and a huge red, swollen gash stretching from the center of her chest to just past the middle of her belly. She would carry that scar with her for life.

She strained her hearing suddenly, zoning in on Thistleclaw. She caught his voice just outside of camp, talking to a high-pitched, whiny cat that could only be Breezepelt.

"I can't believe Brokenstar almost… killed me!" Thistleclaw was wheezing. By the pain clear in his voice, Dovewing could tell that the damage Brokenstar inflicted on his co-commander surpassed her own wounds. She couldn't help but feel a bit satisfied.

"That mousebrain deserved everything she got. Brokenstar is a bit too soft for her. It's like he's in love or something," Breezepelt snarled.

Dovewing froze as his words sank in. No. She knew enough to be quite positive that Brokenstar was incapable of truly loving another cat. But there was one thing he was infatuated with…

Power.

That's what she was to him: a source of power. That was why he looked at her that way. Not as if he loved her, but as if he simply _wanted _her; wanted the power coursing through her veins.

_It does not even matter to him that he has the entire forest in his paws! He wants more and more power… he can never be satisfied!_

Dovewing lifted her head as she heard a shuffling outside of the den. She assumed it was Kestrelflight, returning from picking herbs, but was surprised to see none other than Bumblestripe looking frantically at her wounds.

"Dovewing!" he purred, rubbing his forehead against hers. She blinked at him, her thoughts scrambling to find the right words to say.

"Bumblestripe… do you know how much trouble you could be in if they caught you in here?" she hissed. Bumblestripe blinked at her.

"Brokenstar's on a patrol, and Thistleclaw's too scared to come into the clearing; Brokenstar nearly flayed him alive! I've never seen a cat so angry," Bumblestripe burst out excitedly, "Besides, all the Dark Forest warriors are preoccupied with eating and guarding the outside of the camp. And I had to see you! I was so worried… I-if I had lost you…"

"Shh," she soothed, her expression softening, "I'm okay. I'm glad you came to see me, really. I just don't want any more of my clanmates getting hurt is all."

"I would die for you, Dovewing," Bumblestripe whispered, his eyes shining in the fading sunlight. "I-I lo-"

"Bumblestripe! Are you mousebrained? Get out of here before someone sees you!" a voice hissed from the entrance of the den. Icecloud poked her head into the den, her eyes growing wide as she looked over Dovewing.

"Go, go, all of you! Brokenstar is almost back!" Kestrelflight hissed as he padded back into his den. Dovewing felt her heart sink as she watched her old clanmates back out, leaving her alone with the old, matted medicine cat.

She paused for a moment, remembering what Bumblestripe had begun to say. If she had been right about the words that were about to slip out of his mouth, she was unsure of what she would say back. She did not love him. Not yet. But if she didn't love him now, could she ever do so in the future? And how could she deny him, especially right now, in this situation? It would crush him.

"Lay down. That is an order," Kestrelflight growled, pushing her rump onto the ground gently. Dovewing still felt a prickle of unease as the former WindClanner began removing and replacing the cobwebs on her scabbed wounds. It felt strange, almost traitorous to allow a medicine cat besides Jayfeather tend to her. _I guess I'd better get used to it. Besides, Kestrelflight is not the enemy here, _she thought, staring at the Dark Forest cats in hatred. They were milling about, poking fun at the "lower-ranked" cats. "How much longer can it go on like this?" she murmured.

Kestrelflight flicked his ears in agreement, but chided her quietly. "Hush. Cats have been getting into a lot of trouble lately because of their sharp tongues. A RiverClan cat was slaughtered the other day for talking back to a Dark Forest warrior. He was so young… I never even knew his name…" Kestrelflight trailed off, his head lowering sadly. The ache in Dovewing's heart became even more painful as she imagined a murder taking place in the clearing right before her eyes. She was grateful she was unconscious for that particular moment, but how long would it be until another cat spoke up and got themselves into trouble? Dovewing knew that she would take action, especially if one of her own clanmates was the one being punished.

_Ivypool… Brambleclaw… why did you leave us? _Dovewing thought miserably, laying her head on her paws. Kestrelflight had finally finished tending to her wounds, and the pain was slowly ebbing away again, replaced by exhaustion.

"Oh, no you don't. You've got to eat first," scolded Kestrelflight. The realization of her hunger hit her like a pair of sharpened claws, causing her to cry out as her stomach cramped up. She had forgotten about food until that moment, and now it was all she could think about. Kestrelflight handed her a mossball soaked with water and padded out of the den. She suckled all the moisture from the moss, enjoying the cool stream of water that relieved her dry throat. Kestrelflight returned with a slimy green animal with long back legs and webbed feet.

"Ungh! What in StarClan's name is _that?" _Dovewing mewed, recoiling. Kestrelflight rolled his eyes.

"It's a frog, mousebrain. ShadowClan used to eat these all the time. They are all over this area of the forest," the medicine cat explained, shoving it towards her. "Now eat, or I'll force feed it to you myself."

Dovewing grumbled but eventually bit into the strange piece of prey. It was slimy on the outside but surprisingly good on the inside. The flavor was strange but satisfying. She ate the whole thing in a few bites.

"See? It wasn't too bad," Kestrelflight said with a small smirk. Just then, Dovewing took notice of Reedwhisker walking by, his head lowered, no doubt still morning the loss of the young RiverClan tom that had been executed. Dovewing's eyes swept around the clearing. The former Clanners of Division One were getting thinner, their coats matted, their tails twitching and their heads hung low.

Just then, Dovewing thought of Briarlight and Onestar. She stood, a new energy coursing through her veins. Kestrelflight let out a mew of protest. "Do you want me to have to cover your wounds all over again? Sit down!"

"Kestrelflight… I have to see if Briarlight is okay. I might be able to convince Brokenstar to let me help her. I can check on Onestar too," she said gently. Kestrelflight's gaze softened, no doubt at the thought of his now-blinded leader.

"Alright. But be careful and hurry back," he murmured, turning away to count his herbs. Dovewing slipped out of the medicine den.

Eyes flashed to her as she strode across the clearing. No doubt she looked like a mess: puckered wounds etched on her pelt, her fur unkempt and possibly bloodstained. But at the moment, she didn't care what she looked like. All that mattered was Briarlight.

An old, grumpy looking Dark Forest cat sat in front of the Untouchables' corner. He growled as she approached.

"No lower-ranks allowed," he hissed, "now move away before I reopen some of those wounds!"

"Tornpelt, calm yourself. Dovewing, what are you doing over here?" came the voice of Tigerheart. Instantly she bristled, narrowing her gaze at the large tabby tom.

"I need to see Briarlight," she said firmly, attempting to push past him. He shifted in front of her, a frown settled on his face.

"I can't allow that. I'm sorry," he murmured, staring at the ground.

"Please, Tigerheart? I just need to make sure she's okay," she said quietly, widening her eyes and trying to push the disgust off her face as she looked up at him. He softened, his tail twitching. Their eyes connected for a moment longer before he finally spoke.

"Make it quick," he murmured. Tornpelt let out a growl, rolling his eyes.

"You youngsters! Always so easy to manipulate," he hissed. Tigerheart ignored him, watching Dovewing as she slipped past the cats and into the den.

She almost slipped on the thick mud. It was stuffy and crowded in the den. Two scrawny mud-streaked cats sat before her, wide-eyed. Onestar was mewling faintly, his clawed eyes swollen and reeking of infection as they oozed pus. Briarlight sat beside him, nuzzling into his fur gently and calming him, although she herself looked far too thin, a pained expression on her dirty face.

"Briarlight?" she mewed quietly, pangs of sorrow going through her as she watched the two cats. Briarlight bristled, her head shooting up. Her eyes lit up as she recognized Dovewing in the dimmed light.

"Dovewing!" she mewed, scooting forward to nuzzle her. Briarlight's movements were stiff and restrained, no doubt because of the cramped space.

"How have you been? This place is awful," Dovewing whispered into her friend's matted coat. Briarlight nodded sadly.

"We get minimum food and we get water twice a day. Onestar is not receiving medical attention for his eyes and they are badly infected. I haven't been able to do my exercises or my chest-clearing calls, and I'm having trouble breathing," Briarlight replied, a slight wheeze to her voice. Anger seized Dovewing, and her fur bristled, her mouth opening in a snarl.

"I've seen enough. Hold on a second," she whispered, storming out of the cave. "BROKENSTAR!" she yelled across the clearing, spotting his dark pelt over by the medicine den. Cats turned to her and hissed, shocked that she would address their leader in such a tone. But Dovewing was so angry, she did not care.

Brokenstar turned calmly to look at her, his eyes brightening as she stomped over to him. "Ah, Dovewing. I was looking for you," he murmured.

"You want me to help you? You want me to give in to your commands?" she said quietly, her voice trembling. Brokenstar nodded slowly, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Give Brokenstar medical treatment and allow Briarlight to perform her exercises. Give them more food and water. If these are done, I'm all yours," she whispered, her heart pounding.

"Are you promising me your obedience, Dovewing? _Anything _I ask of you shall give me, without resistance? Do you know what you are doing, swearing an oath such as this? And what makes you think I can't just ignore these demands and force you to do what I want?" Brokenstar inquired, blinking down at her.

"Because if you don't do this, I will do everything I can to resist you. If you take care of Briarlight and Onestar as they are supposed to be taken care of, I will offer no resistance," Dovewing mewed, gulping as the words flooded out of her mouth.

Brokenstar's lips curled back in delight. He withheld his answer for an agonizingly long amount of time. Just as Dovewing was certain he was going to deny her deal, he spoke. "We have a deal, then," he whispered, coming in close so his breath stirred the silver fur around her ear. She shuddered as she smelled his rotten breath, terrified of him being so close to her. "Allow the Untouchables to move from their den! Get poor, pitiful Onestar into the medicine den," Brokenstar yowled.

"B-but…" Tornpelt stuttered in shock.

"NOW, you rotten pieces of crowfood!" Brokenstar snarled. The Dark Forest warriors moved quickly to get the two cats out of the muddy den. Onestar was dragged to the medicine den, where Kestrelflight was waiting for him. Briarlight was taken to an open nest in the lower-ranks den, where she settled in comfortably, shooting Dovewing a grateful look.

_That was easy, _Dovewing thought happily. But her happiness vanished quickly as Brokenstar leaned close to her once again. "You have no idea what you have just promised me, my sweet Dovewing. Tomorrow we will discuss the conditions of this agreement," he murmured, chuckling darkly and then turning to walk into his den. Dovewing stared after him in shock. She had saved her friends, but she had no idea what was going to happen to her.

_Oh StarClan, what have I done?_

Shivering, Dovewing turned and padded back into the medicine den. Kestrelflight gave her a grateful look as he tended to his former leader. "Dovewing, you can sleep in the warriors den tonight. There's not enough room in here, and your wounds are healing nicely," Kestrelflight murmured. Dovewing nodded, slinking off to her nest and falling asleep the instant she closed her eyes.

* * *

_Dovewing…_

She was running though the lush forest of ThunderClan territory, the earth soft and familiar beneath her paws. Up ahead, there was a circle of pure, blinding white light.

She continued running. Out of the light, two silhouettes appeared. A black she-cat and a muscular ginger tom.

"Hollyleaf! Firestar!" she shouted in joy, her paws churning as she neared them. But suddenly, they vanished, along with the ground beneath her. Everywhere there was darkness, and she was being swallowed by it, consumed by the empty blackness surrounding her as she fell through space. She let out a wail of confusion. "No… No… StarClan, help me!"

_No, Dovewing. You must help _us. _Save us. Restore us. Or be forever consumed by darkness…_

* * *

"NO!" Dovewing cried, jolting out of her sleep. It was still night in the camp. A few Dark Forest guards shot her confused glances, but looked away moments later.

Dovewing was shaking. What did that dream mean? What was she supposed to do? She knew only one thing: she had to contact Jayfeather and Lionblaze. Surely they were receiving similar omens.

Weighed down by her thoughts, Dovewing closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, her dreams full of darkness and whispering voices.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

So... hi guys. Whoever is still reading, thank you.

First off I would like to apologize for my long hiatus. I went through a very, very rough period of my life these past couple of months. I won't go into details, but it definitely took me away from my writing. Again, I apologize, but things do happen. I hope you all understand.

Second, I know this chapter sucks and I'm sorry for that as well. I am just getting back into writing and found myself making mistakes. I tried my best. Bear with me if you will as I get my writing back into shape.

I am also having trouble figuring out which direction I want to head in the story. I know Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovewing will all make costly mistakes (of which I will not expand on at this moment). They will go through temptations. If this upsets some of you, please discontinue reading. The Erins give each of their characters flaws, and I wanted to expand on some of those flaws. Flawless characters, to me, are dull and make for a boring, Mary-Sue plotline.

I also want to do something interesting with the Midnight Prowlers and the clan cats that managed to escape. Every compenent of the story will come to a head in, what else, an epic, jaw-dropping, blood-spilling conclusion! I just need to figure out a few of the things I'm going to do leading up to this conclusion.

Again, bear with me here. I am sorry for my hiatus and my mistakes. I promise I will try to make it up to anyone who cares. :)

~Mary~

P.S.- don't worry, this little Brokenstar and Dovewing sideline thing will not be too creepy or inappropriate, as the chapter may imply. Brokenstar is not in love with Dovewing... he is incapable of love... instead, he is obsessed with her power. He desires her abilities. Don't get too worried, even though Brokenstar is a scary, creepy villain, there won't be anything that steps way over the line.


End file.
